Stargate Shangri-la
by Shagohad12
Summary: After years of shame and ridicule, archaeologist and explorer Lyra Heartstrings stumbles across a discovery that validates all her theories and ideas in one fell swoop. Along with her best friend, Bon Bon, and her old classmate Cadance, they find themselves faced with a mystery and marvel that may change everything. This story is primarily published by myself on Fimfiction
1. Discovery Part 1

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Discovery

"... and we can see from the comparisons of the architecture in the Castle of the Two Sisters, the Ruins of the first establishment of the unicorns before the union of the three tribes and the newly rediscovered Crystal Empire, there is a shared underlying commonality that cannot be explained considering what we know of their individual societies."

Three images, illusion based magnifications of the photographs positioned on the table, were projected on the wall as the excited presenter continued her spiel. "My research on the matter continues to point to the idea that some outside influence worked its way into these cultures."

She cleared her throat before continuing. "Some of our oldest existing legends speak of a race of beings that descended from the stars, arriving in a massive flying city of stone and crystal, just as ponies were beginning to build society. Our ancestors called them the Teachers, as they taught the early ponies how to read, write, and so much more!"

"Miss Heartstrings," a weary voice spoke up from the dimly lit seats.

"Yes?" She gulped, turning to look toward the speaker.

"As interesting as your tale may be, it remains just that, a tale," he said. His horn glowed, and the lamps in the room flared to their brightest, chasing the shadows to the corners. Prince Blueblood tapped a hoof on the folder before him. "All your 'evidence,' and I use the term rather lightly, is anecdotal and depends on flimsy logic, old mare's tales and, dare I say, whimsy."

"Everypony said the same thing about Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon!" she countered. "The same goes for Discord. For Faust's sake, we had forgotten about the Empire until it reappeared."

"You forget, Miss Heartstrings, that while the more common versions of those legends were mare's tales, Nightmare Moon's return was foretold in prophecy, and there was the little fact of Auntie's face being emblazoned on the moon for a few centuries," Prince Blueblood shook his head. "Discord was imprisoned and under Auntie Celestia's watch, and the last remnant of the Empire was in her care as well. Solid evidence. In contrast, you have a few artistic stylings that are far more likely to be coincidence?"

"I know I can find evidence!" she protested. "I just need funding. With that, I know I can find something, maybe even the Teachers' city itself!"

"Regardless, Miss Heartstrings, I cannot in any good interest pledge the support of the Royal Expeditionary Society to your project." With that, he motioned to his aid, who started to gather the paperwork. "Personnel or funding."

Blueblood's statements seemed to be a trigger, the other ponies in the room, at least the ones who stayed for the entire presentation, also started packing up, making similar sounds of withholding support.

"I... understand, Your Grace," Lyra said with a sigh, bowing her head. "Thank you for your time." She turned away, quickly packing up her materials, a dejected look on her face. She pulled her saddle bags on, quickly trotting out of the auditorium, hoping nopony would call her crazy.

"Hold up, Lyra!" Bon Bon caught up before she could get too far, a supportive smile on her face. "Well, it wasn't that bad this time around. Nopony started laughing, for one."

"Thanks Bonny," Lyra said, giving a weak smile. "You know... maybe they are right... maybe it is all just coincidence..."

"Or maybe it isn't," Bon Bon said, giving Lyra a supportive shoulder bump. "Nopony's ever going to know unless somepony finds out. Maybe a cute mare with spunk?"

"Bonny..."

"Fine, I'll be good," Bon Bon giggled. She was still cheerful though. "We still have our trip to the Crystal Empire to look forward to. Didn't you say Princess Cadance was an old Canterlot High classmate of yours?"

"She probably won't remember me," Lyra said, waving her hoof dismissively, "I was always that weird filly who sat in the back of class. But you're right, maybe this trip is exactly what I need." She gave a bigger smile, nuzzling cheeks with the other mare.

"And you can put this let down behind you," Bon Bon nodded. She fished a paper sack from her own saddlebags and offered them to her companion. "Chocolate is the first step to recovery."

"Trying to fatten me up, huh?" Lyra asked, taking the bag in her magic. "I'm watching you, missy."

"Sassing? See, you're better already," Bon Bon teased.

Lyra giggled, shaking her head. "Are we all ready for the trip?" she asked, excitement bleeding into her voice. "I can't wait, Bonny! All that history!" She squealed, clapping her forehooves together like a school filly.

"Bags packed and everything," Bon Bon confirmed. She had made sure of it the night before while Lyra was distracted with preparing her presentation. "We just happen to have a few more hours to waste before our train leaves."

"Hmm... any ideas?" she asked, looking around. "Donut Joe's?"

"I heard Pinkie Pie recommends him, so he has to be worth it. I've never had a chance to try his donuts," Bon Bon admitted. "And maybe we can go to the museum after. You can tell me all the things they got wrong again."

"We always do that," she said, tapping her chin. "We could see if that new candy factory is giving tours. I bet you could steal their secrets," she teased with a playful smirk.

"You always know how to show a mare a good time," Bon Bon laughed. "Come on, let's go steal some candy secrets."

"Hay yeah!" she cheered, intertwining her tail with Bon Bon's. The two of them trotted off toward the candy factory, laughing all the way.

* * *

The air was buzzing with barely contained energy. Men and women checked and rechecked the equipment stacked and palletized in the rooms and hallways. Conversations in a dozen different languages filled the air. Technicians wove between them, all with purpose and intent. It made navigating an onerous task for the male pair.

It was subtle, but people seemed to defer to the woman with the short cut blond hair as she reviewed manifests and reports. When they approached, she looked up at them and smiled. "Daniel, General!"

"Hey, Sam," Daniel said, looking a bit put out by the greeting. Beside him, General Jack O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

"General?" Jack greeted back. "We talked about this."

"Sorry, Jack," Samantha grinned. "I'm just a bit excited about this!"

"I can tell," Jack nodded. "So... are we there yet?"

Samantha hid a half sigh, looking away from Jack. Daniel merely nodded. "Hmm. Good call back."

"Why thank you," Jack said proudly. "I do my best. So, what's the hold up?"

"Well, this is a splinter group of Ancients we're talking about," Daniel said, looking at the currently inactive gate. "Who knows if they booby trapped their gate."

"Gotta love those Ancients," was Jack's response as he rocked on his heels.

"Not to mention that the Concordia galaxy is a bit further from us than Pegasus is," Samantha added. She quickly started warming up to the topic. "We want to make sure our first connection is as efficient as possible. If we don't, we risk drawing more power from the ZPM than we need to. Look at it this way, the wormhole might not be in real space, but it can still be af-"

"Carter!" Jack held up his hands in a warding fashion, a slight look of panic in his eyes.

"Give us a few more minutes," Sam said, sharing a smile with Daniel.

"Don't worry Jack, we'll be fine," Daniel said. "And you have to know how long I've been wanting a chance to spend an extended time in Atlantis. Now I get a city of my own, Shangri-La." He said it almost longingly. "Possibly even the Shambhala. A group that left the Pegasus ancients after a clash of philosophical beliefs. Who knows what those ancients could have discovered since then. Without the threat of the Wraith, their society, culture, knowledge could be vastly different from what we have found in the Ancient Databases here in the Milky Way and Atlantis."

"Easy, Daniel," Jack wagged his finger at him. "You're drooling."

The intercom crackled to life. "Generals Carter, O'Neill. Doctor Jackson! We are almost ready to begin the dialing procedure!"

"Well, seems it's almost time," Jack said into the silence that formed in their little group.

"Jack, it's just going to be a year," Daniel said, laying a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "And we are taking a ZPM with us. We will be able to keep in touch."

"Just... be careful, okay? I don't need you ending up stuck halfway across the universe," Jack responded, the thought of his friends ending up like the Destiny expedition weighing heavily on his mind.

"We'll be fine," Sam promised, echoing Daniel's earlier statement. "You have all of Homeworld Command to worry about. We'll take care of these people."

"We won't do anything you wouldn't," Daniel added with a wry smirk. One that died when Sam and Jack both raised eyebrows at him. "I'll... I go check the thing..." he pointed in a vague direction. "The thing over there. Holler if you need me," he said before wandering off.

"That does not inspire confidence," Jack stated frankly.

* * *

"Alright, people!" General Jack O'Neill declared. The last minute details had been set in place and dealt with. Expedition members were crowded in the gate room and most of the halls branching from it. Hands were either on or near pallets and handles, ready to get them moving. On the level above, the two jumpers on loan from Atlantis were ready to take off at a moment's notice, in case Shangri-La's hangars were empty.

"How the hell did I get roped into this?" a rather squirrelly looking young man asked as he fiddled with a camera. "I could be making movies, but no..."

"Same way I did?" a dark skinned man behind him spoke up. "Right and/or wrong place at the wrong and/or right time?"

"Yeah well at least we're making history, right?" the young man said, hefting the camera onto his shoulder. "Name's Floyd, Floyd Hendrix, nice to meet you," he said, holding his hand out. "You uh... ever been through that thing before?" he asked, gesturing to the gate.

"Devon Manley," he said, returning the shake. "And... twice. Once to go to one of the research stations on a moon. Once more to come back. It was wild."

"You went to the moon?" Floyd asked, looking at him incredulously. "That's insane. I'm glad all I gotta do is record stuff..." he mumbled, getting the camera rolling. "What they got you doing?"

"A moon. _A_ moon. Don't ask me the name. Some code with more numbers and letters than I care to remember," Devon said, shaking his head. General O'Neill, in his customary fashion, didn't talk long, and was all too happy to turn the attention to General Carter and Doctor Jackson. "I'm a technician with the RCAF. Well, from them. With the SGC now. Geomatics."

"They got me right out of film school," Floyd started. "Some government program. Thought it would look good on a resume, didn't think I'd end up in some crazy space odyssey."

"Did they test you for the gene?" Devon asked. "I overheard this guy from the Atlantis expedition mention that they wanted as many people with the ATA gene in the first few groups going through to help wake up the city and keep it from thinking we were bad news."

"They gave me some kind of test, I think it came back positive but they didn't say much after that," Floyd said with a shrug, sweeping the camera around. "I take it it's something important?"

"Like a security key for a lot of tech they expect to find on the other side of the puddle," Devon grinned like a happy fool, thinking about some of the stuff he had gotten to read about the Atlantis Expedition in preparation from this one. He only half listened as Doctor Jackson spoke about humans continuing to live up to the expectations of being the Fifth Race. "There aren't many of us, so expect to be called around to serve as a door opener or power switch a lot. There's a gene therapy treatment to try and give it to other people, but it only works half the time."

"Joy," Floyd said with a snort. "Always happy to help. I just hope they don't seize my footage when this is all over. I want something to show for this."

"Walter!" General O'Neill's voice yelled. "Dial it up!"

Floyd turned to the gate as the inner ring started to spin. "Show time?" he asked, zooming in on the gate with his camera.

"Chevron one encoded!" CMSgt. Walter Harriman called over the alarms that were ringing as the inner ring made its first stop, marked by one of the orange points glowing, a faint tremor originating from the gate as it engaged. Walter continued to announce each chevron as the gate worked, the slower process borne from the home-brewed system only causing breaths to be held as anticipation built.

"Chevron seven encoded!" Walter called, excitement clear in his own voice as the inner ring started its final rotation. Not since Eli Wallace was brought to Icarus had a gate room been that primed and tense.

"Wait for it..." Devon whispered, similar phases being voiced by the less stoic members in the room.

"Chevron eight... locked!" The report of a dozen pounds of C4 going off would have paled in comparison to the explosion of sound that erupted from the room when the wormhole formed with its brilliant blue-white kawoosh before settling into the rippling shimmer of the event horizon. It took a while for the noise to die down, but when it did, General O'Neill was ready.

"Shangri-La Expedition, you have a stable connection," he announced. "You're clear to move out. Send the MALP."

"Anything I should know about before going through?" Floyd asked, casting a glance at Devon.

"Security teams 3 and 5, on the ramp, go through if the MALP reports viable conditions," General Carter ordered.

"Um..." Devon, to be honest, hadn't been on any real live missions through the gate himself, but he tried to remember everything he could from the videos Doctor Jackson made and all the reports he read. "Don't touch anything, slow down if lights start turning on, and you might want to brace yourself for the first step. A couple million light years is a doozy."

"I'll keep that in mind," Floyd nodded, watching as the security teams were given the go ahead and moved into the wormhole.

"We're all clear!" General Carter called, "Please proceed through the gate In an orderly fashion!"

"This is it, Floyd," Devon said, grabbing his allotted bag and the supply cart he'd been given and moving with the flow of people. "Hope you packed everything, because we won't be back for a while."

"Trust me, I brought everything but the kitchen sink." Floyd set his camera on a cart holding the rest of his equipment. "I guess I'll see ya on the other side?" he asked as they approached the gate.

"Sooner than you think," Devon replied. Figures vanished into the gate at a steady rate, and in short notice their turn came. One step through the shimmering portal spanned millions of light years, starting on earth and ending with an abrupt stop on the other side. The excited babble of voices was silenced for an instant, replaced with somewhat hushed sounds of awe and amazement interspersed with authoritative voicing barking commands and directions.

"Okay, that was the worst thing ever..." Floyd groaned, putting his hand over his mouth. He moved off to an empty corner, sitting against the wall to let himself recover.

"I heard the first time they did a cross network dial it hurled General O'Neill out," Devon grinned, seemingly oblivious to the little plumes his breath was causing in the cold air. "This one was absolutely pleasant in comparison."

Lights were still in the process of slowly coming on around the room and individuals spread out from the gate, partially in curiosity and partially as a requirement as more and more came through. Glass, crystal and silver-grey stone seemed to be the materials of choice, from the floors, patterned with glass and stone in some places, to the stylized pillars and the tall, though dark, windows reaching to ceiling height above.

"Keep it moving, people!" the loudest voice yelled. The voice in question belonged to Colonel Bowers, the officer put in charge of the expedition's military forces. Technically, he was second in command, with General Carter being above him, but he still oversaw the flow of people for the moment from his vantage point on the second level. "Don't worry about where you are right now! Find an empty spot and park there and keep the area around the gate clear!"

"Jesus, it's cold," Floyd mumbled, pulling on the jacket he had brought. He fiddled with his bags, pulling out a small camcorder. He flipped it on, scanning around the room.

"It's not that bad," Devon insisted. Already the room was getting slightly warmer, if only from the still increasing volume of people milling about in it.

"Hey... the gate's different," Floyd commented. "Should we let someone know?"

Devon, having been more interested in looking around the room on a whole, finally turned his attention to the gate itself, a pensive expression forming. "Huh, kind of reminds me of the Pegasus gates. They must have upgraded. Aesthetics, maybe? Ancients changed styles a lot over the millennia. You should take a peek in the jumpers we got. Two completely different control panels."

"Sounds annoying," Floyd said, getting to his feet. He absentmindedly placed a hand on the wall, only for it to light up with a holographic display. Floyd let out a yelp, jumping away from it, his eyes wide.

"Yeesh, Floyd, you're a natural, probably stronger than I have," Devon commended him, putting a hand on his new friend's shoulder as he tried to make sense of the characters scrolling across the screen. He wasn't fluent in ancient, but he could pick out a few words here and there. It was one of the reasons why he actually got approved for the expedition. "Let's see... matrix... array maybe? Yeah... I got nothing really."

"What did you do?" Fortunately, there were others who were fluent. Carter and Jackson materialized out of the crowd, likely having been checking likely places for controls and interfaces. The latter of the pair stepped around them. "Excuse me. Hmm... Seems like the city is starting to reestablish connections and bringing a few of its subsystems online." He glanced at Floyd. "Good work."

"Uh, thanks?" Floyd said, giving a sheepish smile. "I'll, uh, keep up the good work..." He stepped away from the wall, making a point not to touch anything else.

"Wait," Carter said, reading a bit more of the text on the screen, "It says something about a...'Crystal Heart,' any idea what that is?" she asked, turning to Daniel.

"... What? We've been here all of five minutes. It's going to take me a bit of time before I can start making proposals about what folklore and legend might have some grounding in the Shangrians' activities." Daniel sounded more amused than annoyed. He rubbed his chin for a moment, before he started talking again. "I can't really think of anything off the top of my head. Perhaps it was their name for the ZPM?

"Ah, crystals were linked with enlightenment in Buddhist culture, and from what we can tell the Shangrians had some influence on the development of human society in that regard. It's possible that Oma either knew the Shangrians' tradition or was one herself before her ascension. The 'heart' is often used to refer to the center of something, the core. Crystals are also known for purity. Ah, let's see, some traditions mention that Crystals promote good cheer and banish sorrow and misfortune. That they are... symbols of Peace, Wealth and Posterity." He was really starting to get into it, making hand motions and sweeping gestures, stuttering and stumbling over his words at times due to his rapid pace of speech.

"I thought he said he had 'no ideas,'" Devon whispered aside to Floyd.

"Hmm... Shangri-La and Shambhala are believed to be the same location. It was stated that a future king, er, _ruler_ would vanquish dark forces and usher in a new age in their traditions as well. A Golden Age often refers to enlightenment. Right! Ancients in general needed to be 'enlightened' to achieve ascension, again, as Oma taught. Crystals were often used both for protection as well as for supporting the proper mindset for meditation. Perhaps another site like the 'Cloister' in the Pegasus galaxy..."

"We can figure this out later," Carter said, glancing around, "We should head down to the ZPM room, see how much power we're working with." She paused for a moment, "And somebody find a window, I want to know where exactly we are."

"Sorry, General," Bowers said, having come over to see what had attracted the attention of his superiors. "My team has yet to find a window that's not completely obscured from the outside, even with someone with the gene with them to get the lights on and doors open."

"The exterior doors are sealed as well," another security officer added. The last of the expedition team had come through the gate, then the two 'puddle jumpers,' small, short-range Ancient spacecraft designed to fit through a Stargate, drifted through slowly, settling on the ground, while people moved hastily to give way.

"General!" one of the science team members called out, coming over in a jog. "We are getting the systems online. We haven't interfaced our computers with them yet, but it seems as if the city is under a minor isolation lockdown."

"Oh, that's lovely," Carter sighed. She nodded at Floyd before turning her attention to the team member. "What did you find?"

"Voluntary quarantine it looks like," he said. "We'll know more when we get the computers up. We seem to have full access, so we know it wasn't the automated safeguards."

"And, as for where we are?" Jackson chipped in.

"Um... in an ancient city ship?" was the hesitant response. Daniel frowned at him and narrowed his eyes. "Um... I'll get right on that!"

Carter shook her head slowly, but tapped her radio. "Stargate command, this is the Shangri-La Expedition."

"Reading you loud and clear Shangri-La," came the response, "Everything good on your end?"

"All expedition personnel and equipment have arrived safely and in one piece. We've arrived in what, as far as we can tell, is a fully intact City Ship. Systems seem operational, even if it is a little bit nippy at the moment," Carter added with a small chuckle. She was back to business in a moment. "From what we can tell, there is at least one active ZPM in the city, though we cannot tell more until everything is brought fully online. A team will be heading down to the ZPM room soon, but between the ZPM we brought, our naquadah generators and an intact city, power won't be our major issue."

"General," a technician interrupted softly, handing her a tablet.

"Thank you," Carter said as she skimmed it. "Everything looks good on our end, Stargate Command. Assuming you have no last minute instructions for us, you may cut power to the gate."

"Roger Shangri-La, General O'Neill sends his regards. Good luck." With that, the gate powered down, the wormhole cutting off with a sudden 'whoosh.'

"Well," Daniel said, moving up next to her, "Looks like we're on our own now." He adjusted his glasses, "I'm going to try and see if I can't find the archives, you heading to the ZPM room?"

"Sounds like a plan," Carter nodded. "Bowers, have your men secured enough space that we can start moving people out of the gate room and into halls and so on?"

"Yes ma'am," Bowers nodded. "We've cleared three floors down, and up to the jumper hangar on the level above us. We have enough space to start shifting equipment and people around. We haven't found living spaces yet but..."

"But we just got here," Carter agreed. "I'll check on the power, Daniel will check on their history. Lets see if we can't get a better idea of where we are, and set things up for ourselves."

"You want to take the camera guy or should I?" Daniel asked, gesturing over to Floyd, who was checking his equipment.

"You'll likely need someone with the gene to get the archives running, if Atlantis' set up holds true," Carter said.

"Alright then, I'll call you when we have something," he said with a nod, walking over to nab Floyd.

* * *

"Oh, it's so amazing Bonny!" Lyra squeed, walking down the street with a spring in her step. "Everything is so shiny!" The locals didn't even seem all that bothered by her, just smiling at the unicorn's enthusiasm.

"I knew the Crystal Empire was made of crystal and read the reports and all," Bon Bon started. She was looking around just as bright eyed as Lyra, though without the squeeing and bouncing. "But I didn't expect _everything_ to be actually made of crystal."

"It's so pretty!" She smiled, taking a moment to look around. "This is real living history Bonny, an archaeologist's dream come true." She let out a small sigh. "Come on, let's go see the Crystal Heart!"

"Not wasting any time, are you?" Bon Bon giggled. She took her tour book from her saddlebag and flipped through it. "I think it's kept at the base of the tower, in the center of the city."

"That shouldn't be too hard to find," she said, rubbing her chin. "You know, the crystal ponies are very welcoming, it's a lot like Ponyville," she commented, moving toward the tower.

"They're definitely not like Canterlot ponies," Bon Bon agreed. She made a slight face at the memories. "Too many of them are just snobs and look down on everypony else for no good reason."

"Oooh!" Lyra squealed. "There it is!" She pointed in the distance, a glowing chunk of crystal floating above the ground ahead of them. She rushed over to it, letting out a delighted coo as she looked up at it with wide eyes.

The Crystal Heart, the central object to the empire's culture and society, floated serenely at the base of the palace between two crystal spires, turning slowly. It seemed to glow slightly, lit from within. A hoofful of crystal ponies were making their way through the area, giving deference to the Heart, though apparently jaded to the wonder it was inspiring in its visitors.

"Wow, it's even prettier than I thought it would be," Bon Bon admitted.

Lyra trotted over to the Heart, staring up at it in awe. "And to think... This was all but forgotten..." She paused as the Heart gave off a green glow, and after a moment, strange screens appeared around it, unknown characters crawling along their surfaces.

" **Connection to Shangri-La reestablished.** "

Lyra just blinked. It was some variant of the old language. The other ponies around them looked at the Heart with uncertainty, seemingly ready to panic.

The glow in the Crystal Heart increased, building into a steady pulse of blue-white light that rippled outward along the crystal roadways and out to the outskirts of the city. A slow stream of symbols crawled within the Heart itself, seeming to fall from the top of the crystal and vanish into its depths. Lyra's eyes widened as she recognized it, at least somewhat.

"Bonny," Lyra said with budding excitement. She placed a hoof on Bon Bon's shoulder and started nudging her rapidly. "Bonny... Bonnybonnybonny! I know that symbol!"

"W-what?" Bon Bon said, her voice quivering slightly.

"I've seen the symbol, or at least some like it before!" Lyra actually didn't seem to hear Bon Bon's response. "It was on the west wall mural in the Everfree Castle! The room they found the Elements of Harmony in! There's a tablet fragment in the Royal Museum with it too!"

"And what does that mean?" Bon Bon asked, feeling Lyra's excitement rub off on her. "Do you know what's going on? It doesn't look like they do," she said, gesturing to the gathering crowd. "And that's a-" She was cut off by Lyra grabbing her and kissing her. The kiss was done and over with and Lyra started skipping around the area.

"I was right! This is too much to be a coincidence!" Lyra sang out as she danced.

"Make way for the princess!" A loud voice called out over the din of the crowd. The mob of ponies parted, allowing Princess Cadance passage, flanked by a pair of guards.

The princess paused, surveying the scene, her eyes locking on Lyra. "Lyra? Lyra Heartstrings? I haven't seen you since high school!" She rushed over, giving the surprised unicorn a hug. "How have you been!?"

"I'm uh... g-good, Your Highness..." Lyra replied sheepishly, giving the princess an awkward smile. "And um... this is my marefriend Bon Bon."

"H-hello, Your Highness..." Bon Bon stuttered, bowing her head quickly.

"That really isn't necessary," Princess Cadance insisted, looking a bit embarrassed. She gave Bon Bon a lovely smile. "I would love to talk and catch up more, but I felt something odd with the Crystal Heart a moment ago."

"The Heart, it umm... it put up these weird screens," Lyra said, pointing at it. "Not only that but it has some form of ancient Equish all over it."

"The Heart... did what?"

Lyra nodded. "The dialect was odd but... I think it was talking about some place called 'Shangri-La.'" She rubbed her chin. "Does that mean anything to you?"

Princess Cadance was still a bit taken aback by the fact that the Heart had several screens floating around it. "I guess that would count as odd..." She cast a look at Lyra. "You read ancient Equish? You always did like history."

"It's not quite the same as ancient Equish..." she said, moving over to the Heart. She pondered it for a moment before reaching out to touch it.

"Lyra... do you think that's a good idea?" Bon Bon asked, a worried frown on her face.

"Relax Bonny, nothing is going to happen," Lyra said, putting a hoof on the Heart.

The Heart glowed again, building from the point she set her hoof on. She just watched in wonder, watching rather breathlessly. Magic swelled and a stream of light washed over not only Lyra, but Bon Bon and Princess Cadance as well. There was a humming sound, followed by a flash and the three of them were gone.

"W-what just happened?" Bon Bon asked, looking around in a daze. They certainly weren't in the Empire anymore.

The light deposited them in a large room in front of a tall pillar. A small gem resembling the Crystal Heart, save for being only one tenth the size, was set in it, the glow it had having quickly dimmed. Another telling feature was the room being occupied by strange bipeds, garbed in what could be a uniform.

A pair of startled technicians, crouched before an exposed crystal tray and fiber wiring, could only stare at the three in confusion and shock. It was the same device Floyd had inadvertently activated shortly after arriving in the city, set in a small nook in the gate room. As Atlantis lacked the feature, someone decided it was worth looking into while the General got the city off emergency power.

"Hopman... what did you do?" one of them asked, eyes fixed on the three life forms that appeared.

"I swear to God I didn't touch anything that could have caused this," the technician stammered when he found his voice. He had only been searching the programming, not activating it further.

"Um... Hi," Lyra said with a strained smile, waving a hoof at them.

"Somebody call security!"


	2. Discovery Part 2

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Discovery [Part 2]

Dr. Jackson moved with a certainty and purpose that really raised the question of whether he had been to the city before. Despite the low lighting, the emergency power having only brought the levels up from 'dark' to 'technically acceptable,' the many-years-dead decorative plants, and the overall chill that lingered and clung to everything, he just had an air of knowing what he was doing and where he was going. He did point out a few features to Floyd and the security officer that accompanied them as they walked, which were, in his opinion, quite interesting.

"Six flights of stairs wasn't that bad, now was it?" he said, only lightly winded from the effort. He never did slack off from the workout routines he adopted while serving on Stargate Command's flagship team SG-1. Habits formed after nearly a decade were hard to break. "Once Carter and her team get the full power working we'll have access to the transporters for getting around, though."

They walked past two hallways before taking a sudden right, following some cues neither Floyd nor the officer recognized. Daniel's thick composition book, its pages filled with handwritten notes, printouts, and more, probably helped, as he checked it occasionally during the walk. "Okay, assuming the layout of Shangri-La is not too different from that of Atlantis, the archives room should be right about," he stopped by a door and pointed, "here."

It was largely unremarkable, looking like every other door they passed, with the only addition being the plaque with strangely geometric characters cut into it. "A 'Holographic Interface Room,'" Dr. Jackson translated. He waved his hand in front of the door controls, frowning at the three crystals when they didn't respond. It took two more tries before the unit glowed and the doors slid open with a soft hiss. "The Atlantis team took to calling it the Archives Room."

The room was, at first glance, unimpressive. A single podium was attached to a low platform composed of multiple metal framed glass hexagons. He smiled in a bit of a nostalgic fashion.

"Uh... doc..." Floyd spoke up, interrupting his thoughts, "looks like someone was here before us..." Floyd pointed at the podium, a figure slumped against the back of it.

Dr. Jackson swiftly walked over to Floyd and the body. Be it the cold that had claimed the city, the minimal life support, chance, or all of the above, it wa still fairly intact. He made a face and scratched at his cheek. "Ooo, I was afraid of this. We don't know what actually happened to the Shangrians. Considering everything we know about the Ancients, we didn't expect to find anyone alive in the city, barring another time travel situation..." He looked up at Floyd and the officer, who were staring at him in confusion. "Ah, long story. But the point is, it looks like Shangri-La wasn't exactly properly evacuated before they shut it down."

"But what about the system lock out they found?" the security officer, Graiden, asked. "Wasn't that to keep people from getting in? Does this mean it didn't work?"

"It depends. Were they trying to lock something out, or lock something away?" Dr. Jackson replied cryptically. He pulled on a pair of gloves from one of his pockets, and carefully eased the body away from the podium. "The Ancients eventually suffered from a plague, and that's aside from their conflict with the Ori, and the war with the Wraiths. We know that eventually they gave up fighting and decided to focus on either living out what time they had left, or ascending. Even assuming the Shangrians left before the war started properly, the plague might have caught up with them."

He tapped his radio. "Jackson to Carter, come in."

"Carter here," the radio crackled.

"We found a body in the Archives Room. Might be one of the original inhabitants," Jackson said.

"You're not the only one," General Carter responded with a sigh. "Looks like we will have quite a bit of... _housekeeping_ to do."

"Fun," Dr. Jackson said dryly. "Anyway, I'd like to have Mr. Hendrix get the system running here. How's power coming?"

"Not long now," General Carter said with a grunt. "It's our bit of good news. A full set of Zero Point Modules, low on power, but not depleted. Enough power for most of our needs. We could even fly the thing if we needed to. We'll have full power up in a moment." The lights flicked and with a low hum flared to proper levels. "And that moment is now. Nice work, Jonsson." Someone in the background said something the radio didn't quite pick up.

"We'll let you know what we find out," Dr. Jackson nodded.

"Keep in touch. Carter out."

Dr. Jackson sighed, shoulders slumping. He nodded at Floyd. "Well, just step up to the podium and put your hands on it. It should activate in response to your gene."

Floyd nodded, stepping up to the podium. He cast a glance at the body, placing his hand on the podium. The podium glowed, springing to life, and Daniel motioned for him to step down now that it had been activated. A faint glimmer caught his eye, and as he turned he noticed a necklace on the body. He knelt down, getting a better look; it was gold, inset with a purple star-shaped gem. He reached out, tracing his fingers over it. He winced, pulling his hand back, as he felt a bit of a sting.

"Yeah, you might want to be careful about what you touch when you have the gene," Dr. Jackson warned belatedly. "The strangest things react to it in the strangest ways. You might want to take a few meditation classes if you find things in the city start acting up around you."

"I'll keep that in mind Doc, thanks," Floyd spoke up, reaching out and carefully removing the necklace. "Is it uh... alright if I keep this?" he asked, holding it out.

"I'm going to say... maybe," Dr. Jackson said. "New alien city. We have an idea of what everything should do, but not what everything _is_ , exactly." A certain Wraith tracking device came to mind. "Once we've gotten settled, we can have someone look it over to make sure it's not hazardous, but assuming you don't mind keeping the necklace from a deceased Ancient, sure.

"Oh, and before you ask," he added quickly, "a lot of things that were harmless for Ancients can be deadly for us. Not everything, but you can never tell at times. They were more advanced, both technologically and biologically."

"Joy," he said, placing the necklace around his neck. "Well, let's hope I don't hulk out or something..." He stood up, running a hand through his hair. "OK... this thing is on..." He moved over to the bag he had brought with him, quickly starting to set up a tripod. "I assume you know what I'm supposed to be doing here?" he asked, getting the camera ready.

A figure appeared above the platform. If it wasn't for the faint glow to their clothes and skin, one wouldn't think they were a hologram. Male, he was dressed in pale robes, his features looking on the indian side. He looked towards the podium with a weary smile. "To you who have found our city... I welcome you to the Kingdom of Harmony, Shangri-La.

"Long ago our people dwelled among the stars of another galaxy with our brothers and sisters. We learned, we explored, we progressed. But in time, a rift grew as our ideals and theirs began to differ. Rather than fall into conflict more than we already had, we gathered our like-minded allies and departed the galaxy of Pegasus to hide away from those with whom we could no longer agree.

"Our journey through the stars brought us to a new galaxy, one we called Concordia, in hopes that Harmony and Friendship would be our new legacy, not conflict and reprehensible actions. As were our ways, we planted gates anew, spreading new roads between stars for exploration and curiosity, but with no intentions of arrogantly seeding life as we and our brothers did in the long past. We landed here on the world we called Shambhala, intending to better ourselves and seek the paths of Enlightenment, Harmony and Happiness, but always waiting should our brothers turn their backs on the horrors they fostered in turn.

"To our surprise, life was already here," another image appeared, this one of a blue coated, horse-like creature, coming up to his waist. It had large green eyes, its mane and tail yellow. "We call them the amaquinae. When we first arrived here, they were just beginning to form a society. Seeing the potential they held, we taught them: how to read, how to write, how to build, and we have helped them spread amongst the stars." He threw his arms out to emphasize his point.

"We, in turn, learned from them how to influence the forces of the universe at will. Feats that we thought impossible without our technology or the efforts of one far along the path of ascension, their little ones could perform with ease despite being far from advanced enough to ascend." A glowing orb formed in his hand and he was flanked by an image of the concordia galaxy. "An ability developed due to the unique nature of this galaxy, it was one that once learned, allowed one to draw minute amounts power from subspace, and influence real space with it.

"Originally we called it 'Mastery of Natural Forces,' shortened to Mastery, known as magia as its original name was preserved, even as language shifted. Our star was ascendant, our futures, those of our own and of the amaquinae, was shining. But it was not to be." His expression fell.

"Once again, the origin conflict of our people has found us. We, the Shangrians, are succumbing to the Plague. Despite the efforts of our brothers the Lanteans and the Alterans, we have found no solution. Not even our own research in magicks has borne fruit. Our time has come. We have cut ties with our allies and withdrawn in seclusion into our great city, our shield raised to prevent others from potentially being infected and hid us away. We will die, and the great sickness will die with us, whether here or at our original home.

"To you who have found our city; you are our kin, descendants. Shangri-La, the shining city, is your birthright. I only ask that you learn as we did, spreading Harmony, advancing knowledge, and lending aid to those who need it. Until that day, our city shall sleep, a hidden wonder waiting to spread light and hope once more."

The man lowered his head and folded his arms. The shifting of his robe revealed the same necklace Floyd was now wearing just before the hologram faded away.

"That was something..." Floyd commented, looking up from the viewfinder of his camera. He touched the necklace, which seemed to shimmer a little at the contact.

"Jackson, you there?" Carter's voice crackled over the radio.

"Wow... I mean yes, yes I'm here," Dr. Jackson said, a bit distracted by the story and the implications. "Just checking, but we did prove that the only way to get the plague was from a living infected ancient, right?"

"As far as I recall. Anyway, we uh... have a situation here in the gate room, and I could certainly use your help. You might want to tell Mr. Hendrix to have his camera ready, this is big."

"And I'm guessing it can't wait," Dr. Jackson said with resignation. "So since the lights are on, any chance the transporters are working?"

"Sorry, Daniel," Gen. Carter's response came. "We have primary systems up and life support, but my team has only just started on translating the secondary systems."

"Of course they are," Daniel sighed. "We'll be up as soon as we can." The radio crackled as Carter disconnected. "Well, did you get all the footage, Hendrix?"

"Yeah, I got it," he said with a nod, dismantling the tripod. "This is all going to be a nightmare to edit... eh, that's future Floyd's problem." He slung his bag over his shoulder, hefting the camera up.

"You're taking this awfully well," Graiden muttered to Floyd.

"I'm still not convinced this isn't just some dream. I just hope I don't end up like those guys from 'Trollhunter'," he mumbled as they left the room, dreading the coming gauntlet of stairs.

* * *

"N-now is this really necessary?" Lyra asked one of what she assumed were guards, pointing a strange black object at her head. "We uh... come in peace?" She held her hooves up, trembling, and gave a weak smile.

"I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and I demand to know what is going on!" Cadance glared, narrowing her eyes at the beings that had surrounded them, standing in front of the other mares protectively.

The two security guards standing between the three and the rest of the room kept their weapons carefully aimed, one of them tilting his head to speak into the block object on his chest. "Sir, they are speaking and seem agitated. Advise?"

The rest of the room was in a curious state. The two creatures that had been behind them had scuttled off, the section of the wall they had been working on having stopped glowing. The rest of their kind had drawn back and away from them, leaving the two almost-certainly-guards aiming what had to be weapons at them. They had a bearing more akin to the army or the military wing of the Wonderbolts than to the often-ceremonial royal guards. Shame they were left behind when whatever spell that was foalnapped them. Snatches of conversation came from around the room.

"...are intelligent! The indigenous life? But the city was clearly abandoned..."

"...don't make this be the wraith all over again. I left Atlantis to get away from that crap!"

"...the General and Dr. Jackson are on their way, keep working. See if this gate has a shield as well. And see if you can get a head start on whatever that thing is..."

"Teams three and seven are only a third of the way to the proposed points, no way we can interface the generators in time..."

"Do not fire!" That one made them jump. It seemed to come from the box on the guard's chest. Both their chests. "Circumstances are unknown at the moment, and treat them as such. Do not make the situation hostile. I'm pulling my team back to the gate room."

"Yes sir." The guards both lowered their weapons, though they did not put them away. The closer one motioned for the mares to move. "Step away from the device."

"Please," the other one added, a fleeting look of irritation, aimed at his companion, crossing his expression. "Could you step away from the device, please. Er, Princess Me-amoray Kay Denza, was it? We'll see if we can sort this out."

Cadance watched them carefully. "Stay close to me," she told the others as she moved to an empty part of the room. Lyra and Bon Bon followed quickly, with Bon Bon looking rather calm in the face of the situation. "And it's Mi Amore Cadenza." She snorted.

The guard could only shrug helplessly. He had never been in a first contact situation before. And this was definitely in top ten, maybe even top five first contacts the SGC had encountered. It was the downside of being in galaxies populated primarily with transplanted humans. Besides, he was just a security officer. He hardly had authority to make calls on something like this. "Well Mi- Princess Cadenza, I hope you don't mind waiting until our leaders arrive."

Names had been swiftly given to the areas of the City, for the sake of convenience. The Central Spire was mostly what they had explored so far. The layout of Stargate Operations in Shangri-La was almost identical to that of Atlantis. The large room that contained the stargate, a large open court of sorts, also contained the device the aliens had appeared from. The level above held an array of consoles and controls for the city. For convenience, the expedition members had already taken to calling them the Gate Room and Control Room.

It was in the latter that the technicians and scientist were trying their best to get Shangri-La's systems married to the interfaces and computers they brought from earth. The suddenness of the aliens' arrival was the major complication. They had not been in the city for long, far too short a period to get anything done. With the power only just being restored, and most of the systems still offline, what they could do was limited. Still, it would be for the best if they could gather what they could about what happened for the General to look over and access.

She was, after all, one of the greatest minds their world had to offer.

The awkward moment stretched on. The guards were unwilling to talk with the three for reasons of their own. The scientists, civilian members and others busied themselves with other tasks, trying not to stare too long. The Asgard were known to dislike being stared at. Humans were, too. For their part, the mares conversed in hushed tones they desperately hoped wouldn't carry too far.

"Lyra, you're the one with the interest. Any idea where we are?" Bon Bon asked, hardly looking flustered, though her eyes darted around the room. "Or what these ponies are? They obviously aren't ponies. But they don't look like minotaurs either. Or griffons. Or anything I can think of, for that matter."

"Nope!" Lyra said, a quaver in her tone. She pawed at the ground with her hoof. "W-wait..." She said, taking a look around, her eyes going wide. "Bonny... they look like the descriptions of The Teachers..." she said, almost breathlessly.

"The Teachers..? Didn't you do a paper on that back in school?" Cadance asked softly, not letting her gaze drift too far from the guards. Her horn glowed slightly as she covertly wove a subtlety spell around them. "I remember Quill Point wanted to throw it out for being based on myth but admitted it was well written."

"They said the same thing about Nightmare Moon and Discord," Lyra replied.

"Okay, but how? You're far from the first pony to touch the heart," Cadance hissed, trying to make sense of it. "How did we somehow end up mingling with your Teachers?"

Lyra thought about hard. "I... don't know. Maybe it sensed there was one pony who believed in them?"

"Hopefully we can get some answers," Bon Bon cut in, pointing at the door as a rather important looking figure walked in, flanked by guards.

"Are these them?" Carter asked, looking at the guards who were watching the equines.

"Yes, ma'am, this is uh... Princess Cadenza and her two comrades," one spoke up.

"Greetings Princess, my name is General Samantha Carter. May I ask how you got here?" Carter asked, trying to be as friendly and polite as possible.

 _'A military rank,'_ Cadance instantly thought. With her husband being a former captain of the guard, and she herself technically holding rank as a princess, she was moderately familiar with military structures. It made her somewhat uneasy, though she didn't let it show as she let the subtlety spell break. "We, that is myself and my companions, were investigating unusual activity in my nation's central artifact just before something teleported us here with a powerful spell."

"Well we certainly didn't do it," Carter said, looking toward the door as Jackson and his group came in.

"Is that a pink pegacorn?" Floyd blurted out, aiming the camera at Cadance, who didn't look happy at all, giving him a rather dirty look. Carter gave him one of mild reprimand.

"A horned Pterippus, or winged unicorn, depending on which mythology you look at it from," Dr. Jackson offered, his own gaze analytical. "I take it this is our emergency?"

"I'm an alicorn," Cadance snorted indignantly.

"Yes Daniel," Carter acknowledged with a nod, "This is Princess Cadenza and her two friends, who I don't think have been introduced yet."

"My name is Lyra Heartstrings and I'm an archeologist," she pulled Bon Bon close, "And this is my marefriend Bon Bon! She's a candy maker." She pulled away, gingerly stepping up to Carter, her head level with the woman's stomach. "Are you the Teachers?"

"The Teachers?" Carter echoed.

"Ah, I believe it's their name for the Ancients. You know, like ancestors, teachers of roads, gate builders, great ones," Dr. Jackson proposed softly. He cleared his throat. "No, we aren't. We know them as the Ancients. They did build this city though. And more like it, as well as a whole lot of other things that, I really don't have time to get into right now. They moved on though, reached a higher plane of existence. You could say we are their descendants though."

"But they did exist?" Lyra pressed, looking up at him with big eyes.

Jackson nodded, "I've met several, myself. Did you say you were an archaeologist?" A flash of understanding sparked in Dr. Jackson's eyes and he gave Lyra a smile. "No one wants to believe your theories on the Teachers?"

"No, I'm a laughing stock... but not anymore!" Lyra said with a smirk. "I was right and they were wrong!" She got up onto her hind legs, doing a little off balance dance.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon hissed, pulling her back onto her hooves, "This is no time for dancing!"

"You're just jelly." Lyra pouted, looking away.

Dr. Jackson laughed. "Believe me, I understand how she feels. I've been treated exactly the same way on my own planet. The feeling I had when my first theories were proven right? Still some of my best memories. And I've proven so many more since then. I have done a victory dance or two myself."

"Excuse me, General," Cadance cut in, "but I would like to know where we are at the moment."

"Well, the truth is, we're not really sure ourselves," Gen. Carter said. "We only recently occupied the city, and while we know how to run most of the systems, we haven't turned them on yet. Your visit was a bit of a surprise."

"How is that coming anyway?" Daniel asked, looking over at the techs who were busy with their computers.

"We just got the connection established, sir," the tech said, looking over his shoulder. "I'm going to try to bring up a status report on the city." He turned back to his computer, the keyboard clicking away as be worked. On one of the consoles, a diagram of the city appeared, with various lines of Ancient text around it. "Uh ma'am, you might want to see this," he said, waving Carter over.

"If you'll excuse me," General Carter said. "Daniel, if you'd take care of our guests?"

Dr. Jackson sighed and looked at the security officer. "Is the command office in the same place?"

"Yes, sir."

"Furnished?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay then," Dr. Jackson nodded. "If you three will follow me, we can sit and talk for a while until General Carter gets things a little more sorted out."

"Stay close," Cadance instructed the other mares as they followed Daniel up the stairs and out of the room.

* * *

"What do you mean she is missing, Shining Armor?" Princess Celestia asked, looking down at her former captain of the guard. She had come to visit her niece, only to find that the Princess of Love had gone missing.

"There was something wrong with the Crystal Heart and Cadie went to investigate." Shining gulped softly. "She and two citizens vanished suddenly and without any trace."

"Shining Armor, I'm not upset with you," Princess Celestia said soothingly to her nephew-in-law. "I'm only concerned that my niece is missing. Did anypony see what happened?"

"The guards that were with her did, as well as several civilians," he nodded, motioning for her to follow him. "I have them in one of the meeting rooms, unless you want to visit the Heart first."

"Yes, that would be for the best," Princess Celestia mused. It wouldn't do for her to appear bearing down on her subjects expecting them to hold all the answers. She may even learn something from visiting the Heart, though she was far from an expert in its capabilities, even before it vanished with the city, letting the fog of both time and the curse have its way with what she had known.

"It would be best if we avoided making a fuss over this. Our ponies are likely already stirred up by the disappearance of their princess." It was most fortunate it was the Heart itself involved, making it less likely for anypony to jump to darker fears rapidly. "A bare minimum escort. You and I only if at all possible."

"Of course," he said with a nod, moving through the hall. "Maybe it was a trap left by Sombra?" He wouldn't put it past the tyrant to booby trap the one thing that could kill him.

"It was one of my fears, yes," Celestia admitted as she followed Shining, her longer strides easily matching his pace without seeming to be more than a stroll. "But the Heart has been used at least twice since the Empire's return, not to mention the steady influx of positive emotions from the crystal ponies. Any enchantment he left behind should have long been eroded by the constant exposure to light and love magics, the antithesis to his abilities."

"According to a few witnesses, one of the ponies taken said something about the Heart being connected to a place called 'Shangri-La.' Does that mean anything to you, Princess? Nopony in the Empire seems to know anything about it."

Celestia's brow furrowed. The name stirred something in her, a memory long forgotten? A fillyhood tale perhaps? Her mouth opened, then closed hesitantly. She walked in silence for a few more steps. Shangri-La. That name was important for some reason. "I'm not sure, Shining Armor. Perhaps a discussion with my sister might yield results."

"Hopefully we'll find some answers from the Heart," he said as they came to it. It was still pulsing, with the strange transparent screens floating around it, "Those appeared right before they vanished." He nodded to the guards who had taken up positions around the Heart. "Nopony knows what the writing means."

The Princess stared at the characters in mute shock. For a fleeting moment, an image came to her. Somepony scrawling characters much like those on a board on a morning so very long ago, then it was gone.

"Princess?" Shining Armor asked a little worriedly, seeing her staring at the Heart. "Are you all right?"

Celestia blinked once, twice, three times in total before she recovered. Her expression was troubled, but she studied the writing some more under Shining's worried gaze. "This mystery... may be deeper than I feared," she admitted. "This language... scholars tend to call it one of the more obscure forms of unicorn cuneiform for the older dialects, but the truth is, it is far older. If I recall, it was old when I was but a filly... I fear I may not even recall how to interpret this fully." There were a few words she could still recognize, but not enough.

The Empire had always been a mystery, even before Sombra somehow worked that curse to muddle the knowledge of it. But this raised more questions than anything had since Discord himself ruled. "Shining Armor, has anypony used magic in this area since they vanished?"

"Not that I know of," he said shaking his head, "What are you thinking, Princess?"

"I'm thinking of finding them," Celestia said simply before igniting her horn. A brilliant gold light flared, obscuring everything with its brightness. It lasted for a few seconds before Celestia let it fade to a dull glow around her horn. As it did, colourful contrails wavered in the air, winding around all those present, some thick and strong, other wispy and fading. Celestia's eyes darted from one rippling band of colour to another.

"How far will you be able to track them?" he asked, his eyes moving from contrail to contrail, "They could have been taken anywhere, even across the continent." He frowned at the idea, wondering just who or what they were dealing with.

"Give me a few moments Shining Armor, and I shall find out." She intensified her spell, trying to find Cadance's aura. An alicorn's magic trace wasn't hard to identify. What worried her was that it wasn't where it was supposed to be. There was a small void in the area around the Heart. To use a mundane analogy, it was as if someone washed a slate with a cleanser. It was easy to find the traces of what was used, but what had been there was missing. The contrail of her niece's magic left to the Heart, then it was gone, a haze of magic she didn't recognize replacing it. "Shining Armor." She turned to look at the stallion.

"Yes?"

"Send for my sister, I believe this mystery will require the both of us."

* * *

"We have good news and bad news, General Carter." Despite not having the most experience with Ancient technology, Devon had found himself working with the team setting up and interpreting the consoles for the city. It was the way it worked out in the isolated bases and expeditions. They picked members who were adaptable over just simply skilled. Just being capable and having the gene got him assigned to connecting a few laptops to terminals. Of course, he wasn't the one reporting to her; that was one of the more senior technicians.

"Let's start with the bad news," General Carter said to the short and somewhat mousy woman. "Wilson, right?"

"Yes ma'am," Wilson smiled. "The bad news; because we were running a few diagnostics on the device when it activated," she motioned subtly in the direction of the conference room, "it's now locked up mid-process, and it looks like one or two of the receiving crystals might have gotten damaged in the process."

"Receiving crystals?" Carter said, looking up from the tablet she had been given. "So it's a transporter?"

"Part of the good news ma'am. We figured out it's a type of Ancient transporter device." Wilson paused. She looked down at her own tablet. "Should I continue the bad news?"

"Go ahead, Wilson," Carter nodded.

"Well, we've started getting preliminary readings from the city's sensors now that power is flowing again. The shields are running at minimal power."

"Please tell me we aren't at the bottom of an ocean," Carter said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. To be fair, Daniel had told her there were more sunken city legends than just Atlantis.

"No ma'am," Wilson quickly responded.

"A glacier isn't much better," Devon murmured. Realizing that Carter overheard him, he quickly added, "ma'am."

"So we are on a glacier?" The general wasn't exactly thrilled with that news.

"And somewhat in it," Wilson continued. "There's a buildup of ice around the city's substructure and around the shield. The city itself has only reported minor damage, so that's part of the good news. The rest; the environment is more or less habitable. Acceptable levels of oxygen and all the other required gases. The temperature is around five degrees fahrenheit, though."

"So going outside isn't recommended," Carter murmured. "Anyone else have anything of importance?"

"We're picking up some weird gravitational anomalies but we won't know more until we get more systems online," Wilson tapped away at her computer, "You may want to have a look at the gate ma'am, seems they changed a lot from the Pegasus network."

"The gate will have to wait for now," Carter admitted. It was their only lifeline back home at the moment, but there were other priorities. She said as much, "While being able to dial Earth is important, particularly for morale, so are other things. Suitable living quarters for everyone, for instance. Atlantis survived months without being able to make contact. A few days aren't going to hurt us.

"And then there is the matter of our unexpected guests. And if more will show up." She flipped through the information on the tablet and brought up the preliminary report on the device. "As cruel as it might sound, it may be a good thing that the device was damaged. It buys us time to get settled and figure out what's going on."

"Agreed, General," Bowers said, having finally made his way back to the control room.

"I may be able to help out with who they are," Floyd spoke up, having been reviewing the footage he had so far. "I know you can just go down to the archive room but I think this can save the trip." He clicked away at his laptop, bringing up the recording of the hologram, pressing play and turning the laptop for her.

It was mostly in silence that they watched the recording. True, the camera didn't give the hologram its full justice, but it was sufficient to get the point across. Soon most of the people in the control room where enthralled by the footage. The 'wow' factor was clear on their faces, though Carter and Bowers were clearly putting some serious thought into the matter.

"So that's why Dr. Jackson was asking about the plague," one of them commented.

"So the lockdown was more an internal safety measure? Okay, check the access logs again, we have a better idea of what to look for," another said, turning back to his station.

"You do fast work," Carter complemented Floyd.

"Thank you ma'am," Floyd said with a smile, "But most of it is just luck." He turned the laptop back toward himself, "Going to be a pain to edit though. Also, I'd like to set up interviews with some of the crew when everything is settled, if that's alright?"

Carter's smile momentarily had an edge to it, but it faded quickly. "That shouldn't be an issue." He nodded, busying himself with his work.

* * *

"This is really the Teachers' city?" Lyra asked, looking out of the office, her eyes wide. "This is awesome!" She squeed, clapping her forehooves together, a big smirk on her face. "Please! You've got, _got_ to tell me everything!" She bounded over to Daniel, placing her hooves on his lap. "Please?" She asked, giving him her best pouty face. Pony eyes were notorious for emotional manipulation, usually by foals on their parents.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon hissed, biting onto her marefriend's tail, pulling her away from Daniel. "You're embarrassing us!" She spat out her tail, glaring at her. "I'm sorry, she gets weird when she's this excited." Lyra stuck her tongue out, crossing her arms.

Inwardly, Daniel was glad that the other... mare stopped her friend. She was better at the eyes than Vala was. Even if he kept being reminded of himself from a decade and a half or so before. The terminology was interesting. Amaquinae called their females 'mare.' The translation must have taken some liberties. "'Everything' would take a bit too much time. The history of the Ancients, the Teachers as you call them, goes back some tens of millions of years. This city, for example, should be at least ten thousand years old, being very conservative. Likely more."

"Wow..." Lyra said, her eyes widening at the thought of so much history.

"Ten thousand years?" Cadance echoed with a gobsmacked expression. "That... that makes it far older than Equestria's recorded history... even older than most of our stories... pre-Discordian..." She lost some of her royal bearing as she looked about the room, no longer caring about the guards that had followed and stood just inside the doors. "But this place... it looks more modern than even Canterlot!"

Daniel raised an eyebrow and took a few mental notes. Canterlot? Did Moros once visit? Questions for later. "We tend to have the same reaction. The Ancients were basically _The Race_. The most powerful and advanced race for countless millennia. Even during their decline they were still a force to be reckoned with until they all, for the most part, ascended."

"Do you want to know anything about us?" Bon Bon asked, "You don't really seem to know anything about us, hay your guards couldn't even get the princess' name right," she pointed out, sitting next to Lyra.

"I think an exchange of information is a wonderful idea," Cadance agreed, "Since you've already told us about these...Ancients why don't you ask us a question? It would be wise for us to get to know each other."

That offer certainly caught Daniel off guard. He wasn't used to dealing with such candid individuals. Of course, an offer of a question didn't necessarily equate a promise of truth. Worse still, a dozen questions lay at the tip of his tongue. She called herself a princess. That implied a monarchy. Would her nation rise up against them for inadvertently holding an heir to the crown hostage? What significance were the horns? The amaquinae from the recording lacked them. Much more the wings. How exactly had they ended up in the city?

"Alicorn," he said, choosing a different question. "You called yourself an alicorn. The word is part of my people's mythology, but I don't think it means the same thing. What is an alicorn?"

"Alicorns are among the rarest types of ponies, and they have the attributes of all three of the tribes: the strength of an earth pony, the wings of a pegasus and the magic of a unicorn. There are only three in the world, myself, my aunt Celestia and her sister Luna, though I was originally a pegasus," Cadance explained, giving her wings a flap for emphasis.

"I'm just a unicorn and Bonny is an earth pony." Lyra pointed out, hopefully to make the point clearer.

"Now that's interesting..." Daniel said, his eyes slightly vacant as he processed the new information. Such as 'pony.' "Unicorns, at least horned horses, are fairly common in Earth mythology. There are also winged horses, well, one. Pegasus was the son of Poseidon. The commonalities... you call the Ancients 'Teachers.' That must mean they had an influence on your society as they did in ours, though in our case their mark is a bit more obvious." Daniel had stopped paying full attention to the trio as his thoughts raced. "Of course. The Shangrians didn't have a war fighting. They must have had more opportunities to travel back to Earth than the Lanteans did. And... wait..."

Daniel blinked and looked curiously at Cadance. "Did you say magic?"

"Yup!" Lyra chirped, her horn suddenly becoming surrounded by a golden glow. A nearby long dead plant became surrounded by the same glow, floating up into the air. "Tada!" she proclaimed proudly.

Daniel's face ran through a gauntlet of expressions. Raised eyebrows gave way to an attempt to point with his finger, then a tight lipped moment, before he licked his lips and scratched his cheek. He attempted to point again, but a pout aborted it halfway, and he had to settle for an open mouth stare. It wasn't that that sort of thing wasn't possible. For crying out loud, he had done it before when Merlin advanced his state of evolution, not to mention all the things he pulled off when ascended, but... magic?

"I take it your kind can't use magic?" Cadance asked, noticing his expression.

"I used to say there was no such thing as magic, but considering all I've seen, I just gave up." Daniel shook his head slowly.

"Oh, that sounds horrible," Lyra placed the plant back on the ground. She moved over to him, getting up on her hind legs and giving him a hug.

Daniel just blinked, looking down at the green unicorn that was hugging him. "Why are you uh... hugging me?"

"Because you looked sad," Lyra answered simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And the best way to get rid of sadness is with a hug!"

"I think that's enough, Lyra," Cadance said, pulling Lyra back gently. "Sorry," she said with an apologetic smile. "Ponies are very um..." she gestured with her hooves, "affectionate. Anyway I believe it's our question: how did you get here?"

"Well..." Daniel quickly assembled and censored the standard spiel. Considering the amount of experience they had doing that, it was little more than a beat. "We are explorers. My people are called humans. We come from a world called Earth. It was the first world the Ancients, the Teachers, settled when they came to this side of the universe millions of years ago. My people are actually the second evolution of their form. When they ascended to a higher plane, they left a lot of their history, knowledge and technology behind.

"Humans are a curious race. A couple of years back we found the Stargate, a device able to send you across thousands of lightyears in an instant. The large ring you saw was a Stargate, most likely the only one on the planet. The, er, Teachers made them and put them in at least four galaxies."

"Forgive me but, that seems a little hard to believe," Bon Bon said, frowning. "You're telling me that a whole race ascended into alicorns? That seems very far-fetched."

"Alicorns? Uh, no. An energy based existence of remarkable power," Daniel explained a little. "Knowing them, a few might be listening to us now. But they never interfere with the lower planes. It's 'beneath them' and against their 'rules.' A bit of a pain, to be honest."

"But you said they ascended," Lyra pointed out, "And alicorns only come from ascension."

"She's right, like I said, I was originally a pegasus," Cadance reaffirmed.

"Possibly a case of the same name for different processes," Daniel frowned. "I have ascended myself and I know for a fact I didn't get hooves and wings."

"Too bad, you probably would have made a great looking stallion," Lyra teased only to wince when Bon Bon socked her in the shoulder.

"I believe you have the floor," Bon Bon said rather flatly, glaring at her marefriend.

"Right," Daniel said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Let's go with this one, Princess Cadance, who is the queen of your kingdom?"

"Queen?" Cadance asked, the concept seeming rather foreign to her. "I don't believe Equestria has ever had a queen. I'm not sure about the Empire, we're still piecing together the Empire's history."

"So your culture's highest government figure is a princess. Not the strangest structure we have encountered. There are tribes where their most important leader is simply the 'Big Man' or 'Chief Chief.'" His hands, having been waving in the air, slowly lowered, the realization sinking in. "Which would make you one of your nation's rulers."

"Why don't we just give a run-down of Equestrian history?" Lyra asked. "Then you can share your people's history!" Lyra smiled, wagging her tail like an excited dog.

"I really don't think that's the best idea, Lyra," Bon Bon interjected.

"As much as I would enjoy that, your friend's right," Daniel said, setting his hands on the table. "Right now, it's more important to build a rapport between us while we see how we can get everything sorted out. To become friends, as it were. After, we can foster a proper relationship between our people, establish trade and perhaps an exchange of knowledge."

"You'll find that ponies are very easy to make friends with, it even saved us from extinction," Cadance said. "Anyway, I do believe that it is our question. Who is the leader of your people?"

"Locally? That would be General Carter," Daniel said easily. "You met her. She is the leader and commander of the Shangri-La Expedition. I head the Science and Research Department and represent the civilian population. Colonel Bowers is the military commander. Dr. Juan is our Chief Medical officer. You'll likely be visited by her sometime soon. Talking about the leaders of our _world_ is a bit more complicated, and not particularly relevant this far from home."

Daniel had long since learned how to read people and their body language. He later learned how to apply those skills to the Goa'uld, the Asgard, the Tok'ra, the Unas, the Serrakin and even the Wraith. The Amaquinae, the ponies, were a bit different, but a lot of the cues were the same, their eyes particularly expressive. The ears and tail provided even further clues, and he was beginning to pick up on what they meant.

Lyra looked extremely fascinated with everything he was saying, hanging on to every word, her tail and foreleg twitching occasionally as she gave him her rapt attention. She was like a student in a particularly interesting class of her favourite subject. Bon Bon was listening keenly as well, but she was more reserved. He recognized the calculating look she thought she had hidden behind her expression. There was more to her than he had been told.

The princess' attention was polite and adequate. Though she didn't exactly hide her expressions and her reactions seemed honest, he could tell that there was some rather serious thought going on in her head, maybe more so than Bon Bon. It reminded him just a bit of Dr. Weir, to be honest, a comparison that reflected favourably on the princess.

"I think it would be best if I send a message to my aunt," Cadance said, nodding her head. "Do you have some paper and a quill?"

"Well, we've moved past quills, but I'm fairly certain we are unable to mail a letter. If we could, we would just send you back instead," Daniel said, raising his eyebrow.

"Humor me," Cadance commented, giving him a smile. Lyra had a similar expression on her face, though hers was more the smirk of someone who sees a joke coming and knows someone will be the victim.

"Well, no harm in that. Give me a moment." A pen was no issue. There was one in his top pocket. The paper was a bit trickier. He flipped through his book, looking for a blank sheet, but failed. A quick check of his pockets did eventually find a spare yellow pad. Tugging a leaf free, he slid them over to her.

"Thank you," she said, lifting both in her magic, scribbling away for a moment. Her horn sparked, the paper reduced to ash by a bright green flame, the ashes twirling around flitting out of the room.

Daniel watched her display, expression fairly stunned. Before he could voice his reaction, the ashes quickly returned and the sheet reformed.

"Well, horseapples," Cadance cursed, glaring at the sheet with disdain..

"I take it that was magic?" Daniel said, noting three things at once. The display really did seem linked only to their biology, and she was very precise with her telekinesis. He had never tried writing with his telekinesis when he possessed it, but he had heard Rodney McKay had been able to type on multiple computers at once with his. At the moment, there really was no word aside from 'magic' than he could think of to call it. And finally, her choice of swears. He noted it away for later study.

"Just what exactly was that supposed to do?" he asked.

"Send a message to my aunt," she said, sighing a little. "Looks like that idea is moot."

"I don't know what to say," Daniel admitted. He had been in this position before, both the side of the one cut off and the one who might help, but it never got easier, only easier to not be too despondent over. "Don't worry. Our people would rather have friends than enemies, and friends provide aid when needed.

"You did come at a bad time, before we were properly settled in, but we can still provide you a place to stay until we can get everything working." Daniel paused, remembering something he found in his search for the paper. He pulled it out and set it on the table, eliciting surprised reactions from not only the ponies, but the security officers as well.

"Is that..." Bon Bon sniffed the air to make sure the large rectangle was what she thought it was, "chocolate?"

"I've made a few good friends doing this, including meeting my father-in-law," Daniel chuckled slightly at the fond memories. "Took to keeping one on me a few years ago. It's become something of a tradition with me. Of course, it's missing the wood fire, but I think we can skip that detail. Would you mind sharing this with me?"

They glanced at the Cadance, who nodded with a smile. "I, we, would be honoured."

Daniel unwrapped the candy, broke it in four, and the new friends shared the confection. "It tastes..." Bon Bon searched for the right words, "old."

"Well if you work as a confectioner I suppose you'd be used to higher-quality chocolate than this," Daniel laughed. The ponies joined him. Everything really might be okay.


	3. Discovery Part 3

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Discovery [Part 3]

"So, this is the Stargate, huh?" Lyra asked, looking up at the strange device with a look of awe on her face. "I don't remember anything like this from our legends." She let out a sigh. "We lost a lot of knowledge during the Discordian era..."

"Discordian, discord, chaos I take it?" Daniel commented. "We've encountered more than a few situations where we believe a gate was buried and lost. Even our own world buried our gate and forgot about it for a few thousand years. You're taking this rather well. Better than I thought you would."

"Live in Ponyville long enough and you get used to stuff like this. I mean we had Nightmare Moon, Discord himself, that Ursa Minor. About the only thing we didn't have were... Changelings..." she said with a shudder, images of her time as a brainwashed pawn coming to her mind.

"Why does it have cutie marks on it?" Bon Bon asked, pointing to the symbols on the ring.

"Looks more like parts of cutie marks to me," Cadance said, rubbing her chin.

"Cutie marks?" Daniel glanced at them, and quickly came to the logical conclusion. "Is that the name for the... markings on your bodies?"

"Yes, that's right," Cadance nodded, "they represent what a pony is good at and only appear when a pony discovers his or her special talent."

"I got mine when I realized my passion in life was making candy," Bon Bon added helpfully. "Not sure why they're on this thing though." She reached out, poking the gate cautiously.

"Is that magicite?" Lyra asked, pointing at one of the chevrons. "I don't think I've seen magicite ore that well crafted."

"Uh, magicite?" Daniel asked. He didn't even bother to question the 'appearing' part.

"The stargate is one of the most perfect devices ever made," a new voice cut in. A short, dark skinned woman, only about five feet tall, joined them. "Almost thirty metric tonnes of naquadah, lovingly shaped, formed, and arranged into these amazing rings. Did you know the oldest known ring is over 50 million years old? And it still worked perfectly! Despite being frozen in ice! And then someone let it get blown up!"

Daniel sighed as the woman glared at him. "Let me introduce you to Jasmine Iwu. She is the head of our engineering department and one of the greater minds when it comes to the mechanics of ancient technology. And I'll remind you, I was ascended at the time."

"Exactly! You could have stopped Anubis from blowing up the third oldest work of art known to mankind!" she fumed. "Instead you just hung around and watched!"

The ponies just watched, not sure exactly what they were talking about.

"Iwu, I was ascended. I was bound by the others and their rules. I couldn't just interfere on the lower planes like that! I don't know why you keep bringing it up!" Daniel said, starting to sound a bit frustrated himself. "But I'm going to assume you didn't just come over here to do this."

She grinned. "Okay, you got me. We finished the diagnostics on the gate and the device these three adorable ones came from."

"Adorable?" Cadance asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll uh... take that as a compliment."

"What did you come up with?" Daniel asked, clearing his throat. "I'm going to assume this network is based on the Pegasus network correct?"

"Pegasus network? No," Jasmine said, stroking one of the chevrons tenderly. "This darling seems closer to the original Milky Way setup with some flavour and flare of its own. Only 28 symbols. She can revolve like the Milky Way gates and has that satisfying chevron locking, but does the same 'chasing lights' that the Pegasus network does.

"They got into the gate database, and the network is the smallest one so far, aside from the few placed in Ida, which makes sense since this galaxy is smaller than the other two." She nodded with satisfaction. "The transporter reminds me a lot of the one Merlin and Morgan le Fay made. The bad news is that since they triggered it prematurely while it was under diagnosis, they fried a few of the relays. The control crystals are fine, though. We can replace the relays with a little bit of manufacturing, the issue is the resource. Don't have any."

"What exactly do you need?" Cadance asked, "We might be able to help you find it if you can provide a map."

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Jasmine responded. "We are getting our systems online, and the little bugs are starting to show in it. A City Ship might be made of strong stuff, but they are still pretty fragile. All those years in this block of ice with its shield on the lowest level?"

She shook her head slowly and Daniel tried to get her back on topic. "Do we have the means to fix it? Or at least get these three home? We brought the jumpers. So long as it's in this solar system a jumper can take them."

"Jumper?" Lyra asked.

"Jumpers, yes," Jasmine agreed. "Just not the way you are thinking. The Jumper Bay actually has a small fleet, so we'll have to eventually return Atlantis' pair, but the outer doors are jammed. Ice damage to the mechanism. Not a complex fix, but one that will take time.

"And princess, it's far too cold outside to go alone. Plus, the ground is permafrost. We don't have anything that can mine through it for the ore we need," Jasmine unstrapped her tablet and tapped away at it as she spoke. "The techs and control room prospectives did a couple scans of the surroundings. The mountains we are in don't have what we need either."

"But?" Daniel asked. If there was one thing working with Jack taught him, it was that there was always a but.

"But," Jasmine smiled, "They produced a list of three planets that, according to the database, should have what we need relatively close to the gate and easy enough to collect."

"Well, that was easy! When do we go?" Lyra asked cheerfully.

"I don't know if that's really a good idea, Lyra," Bon Bon said, rubbing her chin. "They have more experience with this stuff."

"Are we talking about... going to another world?" Cadance asked a bit uncertainly.

"Through the stargate, yes," Daniel said.

"Not right away," Jasmine added. "We need most of our personnel for getting the city and the expedition in gear. So far they have only cleared general areas, and it's calling for more manpower than we expected." She gave Daniel a grave expression. "They've been finding a few more bodies in the well secured areas. Doesn't seem like everyone was able to ascend their way out of this one."

Daniel closed his eyes sadly. After a moment, Lyra gave him another hug.

"Ponies hug a lot," Cadance explained to a surprised Jasmine.

There was a twinkle in Jasmine's eyes before she suddenly hugged Cadance. "Ha! Hugged an alien and a princess in one go. Two things to cross off my list."

Cadance giggled a little, hugging her back. "You can just call me Cadance, all my friends do."

"Anyway, General Carter would like to meet with you a little later about the distribution of forces," Jasmine said. "And she also wanted me to let you know that if you've finished your little tour, they found and cleared a mess, and the first proper meal in Shangri-La is ready, even if it's mostly military rations at the moment."

"Food sounds good, I'm starving," Lyra said, licking her lips.

"We would be most thankful for anything you provide us." Cadance said, bowing her head a little, pulling away from Jasmine.

"I could go for a nice hayburger right about now," Bon Bon said, blushing as her stomach growled rather loudly. "S-Sorry..."

"Hay burgers? Well, we can't promise you _that_ ," Daniel said, trying to picture that meal in his head, and also visualizing the agricultural practices and techniques they would employ. "But we can at least guarantee that it would be vegetarian and kosher."

"What's kosher?" Lyra asked, tilting her head curiously.

"It's... ah..." Jasmine faltered.

"It's a cultural standard of food preparation. Something 'kosher' has met the requirements that some religions hold to," Daniel explained.

"You don't have to go out of your way for us," Cadance said, waving a hoof dismissively, "A few salads should be fine."

"It's no trouble," Daniel said, beginning to lead them out of the gate room and towards the cafeteria a few floors down. "There are a few people on the expedition who request kosher or vegetarian meals for various reason."

"I am one of them," Jasmine added. "The SGC ensures that everyone is properly fed and watered."

"Well then, I eagerly await our meal," Cadance said with a smile, following after the two, Lyra and Bon Bon staying close to her.

* * *

Shining Armor was worn out by the time he was finally able to close court. The news that the Crystal Princess had vanished had spread, and with it, a strong feeling of unease had permeated through the city. It was only the fact that the Crystal Heart was what whisked her away that kept unease from blossoming into full panic. The population was already having issues adapting to being a thousand years displaced. But that was behind him now. All he had to do was keep from succumbing to the despair nagging at his own heart, and everything would be just fine.

Absolutely fine.

He walked a bit faster. With Princess Celestia already out of the castle, Princess Luna had too many duties to simply up and leave Canterlot, so it wasn't until well into the evening that she finally arrived. Having easily picked up on the urgency, she disembarked before her night guards pulling her carriage even attempted the final approach, instructing them to land and put the carriage away before teleporting directly to closest balcony to the private areas of the castle.

"SISTER!" Luna called loudly, her volume managing to rattle a few windows without actually making it to the 'Royal Canterlot' range. She pointed a hoof at one of the startled guards. "You there! Tell me where I may find my sister!"

The guard, a bit confused from seeing all four major members of the nation's royal family on what should have been a normal day, could only point a hoof. Luna nodded and galloped off, her stride covering large lengths of the hallway with ease.

It was at that speed that she barreled into Shining Armor. Or rather, into the shield he reflexively cast once he realized something large was charging towards him. Even so, she sent them both crashing to the ground, though to his credit, his shield didn't break.

"Er... greetings Shining Armor," Luna said, looking the stallion with a sheepish look on her face. "I uh... apologize. In my excitement I was not looking where I was going."

"No, it's fine Princess Luna," Shining said, stifling a groan. "Do you ever play hoofball? Or spar with your guards, any?"

"Yes I do. And we are family, Shining Armor, I insist that you not be so formal with me," Luna said, getting to her hooves, "Now, I believe we are trying to find dear Cadance."

Shining Armor nodded as he got up himself and pointed Luna in the right direction. "That's right. Prin– Ce... Aunt Celestia is resting in one of the sitting rooms." He wasn't quite comfortable with dropping titles all together. 'Aunt' was as casual as he was comfortable with. "She was waiting for your arrival."

"Then we should make haste and not keep her waiting much longer," Luna said, trotting off again. He sighed, quickly catching up with her, cursing Luna's longer legs, though he did wonder if Cadance would grow to the size of either of the two elder princesses.

They found Celestia surrounded by books, two empty teapots on the table, a third beside her, sitting on the cart in easy reach. She was too engrossed with the book she was reading to notice the duo's entrance. Shining Armor looked at Luna awkwardly. "She has been at it for hours."

"Truly?" Luna asked surprised.

Shining Armor nodded. "She tried maybe six different spells after the first one failed, before she calmly requested that I see to the Crystal Court and retired here. A few minutes later, she had the castle staff running in circles because she was teleporting from room to room collecting all these books."

"I see..." Luna took a few steps toward Celestia, clearing her throat. "Sister, I have come as you have requested."

"Luna..." Celestia said softly, looking up at the two. "Did I perhaps make a mistake?"

"What mistake would that be?" Luna asked, moving over, taking a seat beside her sister.

"Was it too soon? Did I force our niece into her role before her time? Is that why the Heart chose to take her away from us?" Celestia's voice was calm and even, but behind her gaze, her will was shaking. "Perhaps it was hubris, after watching Twilight grow into a strong mare, I just assumed my niece too was ready for the next step."

"None of this is your fault." She spread her wing, draping it across Celestia's back. "Now Tia, have you found anything in these books that will help our search?"

Shining Armor, feeling like the third wheel in the room, busied himself with putting some order to the books Celestia had cast aside. He did his best to remain unobtrusive as the princesses, his aunts, shared a moment. The cup of tea floated over to Celestia, caught up in her magic, and she took a meditative sip.

"Perhaps you are right, I'm merely letting fears colour my thoughts." Celestia exhaled slowly. "Tell me, what do either of you know of the Empire's origins?"

"I only know as much as you do sister," Luna said, tilting her head. "Though considering you have been delving into all these books, I imagine your knowledge has surpassed my own these past few hours."

"I'm afraid I don't know much either," Shining Armor admitted. "We have been spending our effort on learning what the Empire was before Sombra took over, and doing our best to bring it and the crystal ponies up to modern standards. And Sombra destroyed the records in the library and scrambled all the books as part of his curse. It's going to be months, maybe years, before we get it fully reorganized."

"I haven't learned much more myself," Celestia admitted. She waved a hoof at the books. "I recalled what Sombra did when he banished the city. The power of that spell, it must have been something he crafted for months for it to cloud even our own memories. I have searched these for clues, any hint of the origins of the Empire and the Heart itself, in hopes it would explain what happened to Cadance, but nothing..."

She didn't share her fear that it might have been one last lingering curse from Sombra, mostly because the evidence was against it, but the thought was still there, gnawing at her.

"Did you find anything on Shangri-La?" Shining asked, looking at all the books.

Luna blinked a little, scrunching her muzzle up. "That name... it seems so familiar... but I do not remember where I heard it..."

"It was one of the clues I searched for, but I found nothing of it either," Celestia sighed heavily. The fleeting memory of her early lessons came to mind. "No records in these books, no evidence from the Heart, no trace from my magic. The only real clue are the characters seen on the Heart, but they are older than we are, sister."

"There has to be some clue," Luna insisted with a frown, rather irritated that faded memories were dancing at the edge of her mind and yet unable to be recalled, "Perhaps a more thorough search of the library?"

"I am fairly competent in a library myself," Shining Armor added with a weak smile. "It's impossible not to be with Twilight Sparkle for a sister and Twilight Velvet for a mother."

"Then let us away!" Luna declared, getting to her hooves.

"Yes... it would be for the best," Celestia said, finally smiling. "But first, it's time to lower the sun and raise the moon."

"Oh yes..." Luna said with a sheepish smile, "Let us complete our duties." She moved out onto the balcony, lighting her horn, waiting for her sister. Celestia moved out after her, grasping the sun in her magic, gently sending it below the horizon as Luna coaxed the moon from its slumber.

* * *

In all the years and on all the worlds that Stargate Command had been operating, they had only met a handful of truly alien species. Thanks to the efforts of the Goa'uld in the Milky Way, the experiments of the Lanteans in Pegasus, and the gate network to allow for ease of migration, the human species was one of, if not the most populous race across multiple galaxies.

The Asgard, Unas, and perhaps the Wraith outside of armour were about as alien as the SGC personnel had seen. Additionally, most of the people on the Shangri-La Expedition had had zero interaction with any of those species; the first was now extinct, the second was rare even on the few worlds they inhabited, and the last considered humans to be simple prey.

To the large group of certified space explorers, the ponies were the best thing they had laid eyes on since first seeing the stargate activate in person. While the ponies were not mobbed, most people being too professional to do so, there was a lot of interest directed at them. Lyra was energetically babbling to anyone who would spare an ear, and a few who wouldn't, her endless curiosity far from sated. Cadance, with a smirk, and Bon Bon, whose expression could only be termed "resignation," followed, more often than not issuing apologies on the part of their companion. Jasmine followed, ineffectively attempting to serve as something of a buffer.

"They are handling this better than I hoped," Daniel admitted to Sam, walking from one side of the room. "I did make sure they were seen and could interact with people, but it's as if something about them just makes people more willing to open up, to trust them."

"I heard Iwu call them 'cute,'" Sam chuckled. "And she's apparently not the first person to use that word for them."

"Did I tell you Lyra hugged me?" Daniel asked with a small smile.

"Really?"

"Twice in fact. Her reasoning? I was sad." Daniel cast a glance at the unicorn in question. "She uh... she reminds me a lot of myself. Seems so long ago, doesn't it?"

"We've done a lot since then," Sam agreed. "Some of us more so than others."

"Yes, yes we have." He looked at the ponies again, watching as they ate. Lyra and Cadance used their magic to levitate their utensils, while Bon Bon somehow held hers with her hoof. "I am really glad this first contact is going well, so far at least. You know they call themselves 'ponies?' They even refer to their females as mares. I think they're the basis of many of our uh... equine based legends."

"It's amazing how jaded being a part of the Stargate Program can make you." Sam sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Is there any part of mythology that isn't based on some alien species or technology?"

"Most likely our legends come from the Shangrians that visited Earth. I doubt any of the ponies actually came to Earth," Daniel said, stroking his chin.

"We've been able to surmise the origins of the Pegasus humans based on mitochondrial DNA, proving they did come from Earth stock, so who knows what could have happened," Sam pointed out, watching Cadance entertain a few questions. "Stranger things have happened."

"True," he said, nodding his head, "I can only imagine what their culture is like. Just from these three, I can tell it has its similarities with ours, which is no surprise given their interaction with the Ancients. In fact... I do believe this is our first encounter with a sapient quadruped species."

"The first with fur, too," Sam agreed. "You know, we never did meet a furling."

"Jack's still waiting for us to find one," Daniel said with a smile, "There is one thing I am worried about. Cadance is a princess, and her people may assume that we've uh... kidnapped her..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's going to be an issue..."

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time we kidnapped the leader of a people," Sam tried to joke, but Daniel's expression clearly told her she failed. "Sorry. Hopefully she will only have good things to say about us."

"I think the chocolate helped, it always does. I think it's safe to say that we can secure an alliance or at least friendly relations."

"One of our better first contacts," Sam agreed. "Still, it's amazing to think a hooved species evolved a tool using society. Even with the Ancients assisting."

"I'm no biologist but I'm pretty sure Earth equines can't move their bodies like these three can."

"Humans have a wider range of motion in our limbs and wrists than chimpanzees do, so maybe it's something similar?" Sam offered. She watched as the small group around the princess broke out in laughter, idly wondering what set them off. "I really wish I could lower the shield and get a jumper out there to get a look at where they are from. "

"Jasmine said the outer bay doors were frozen shut. If someone can find a map in the database they might be able to tell us where we are. It's a long shot, but it could be worth it."

"I'll see what we can turn up," Sam nodded.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the equines.

Sam picked up her tray with its less than appealing MRE, and nodded. "Lead the way."

He grabbed his own tray, heading over. "Mind if we join you ladies?"

"General Carter!" Lyra waved excitedly despite being right before her. "Sure! Come sit! We were just sharing stories about school. You humans go to school for a really long time, don't they?"

"I take it you don't?" Daniel asked, taking a seat next to the excited unicorn.

"Not nearly as long," Cadance replied. "Foals don't seem to stay in school as long as you do, or spend as much time there once they are grown and earned their cutie mark."

"So... getting their cutie mark is a sign of maturity?" Daniel cast a glance at Cadance's mark. "If it's not rude to ask, how did you get yours?"

"I got mine in somewhat unusual circumstances," Cadance admitted. "It was after I proved able to not only resist the dark magic powered by hate, greed and jealousy, but also an affinity for love energy."

"Love... energy?" Carter asked, raising her eyebrow slightly, "What exactly is love energy?"

"It's one of the most powerful magic forces in all of Equestria!" Lyra gushed excitedly.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon chided, glaring at her marefriend.

Lyra wilted sheepishly. "But it is..."

"She's not wrong," Cadance giggled. "Love _is_ in fact one of the more powerful magical forces. A pure expression of both magical and emotional energies, united into one." Her horn glowed pale blue, a few pink hearts drifting from it before popping like soap bubbles. "It has a natural restorative effect and counters dark magics. Harmony magic is one of the few that are more powerful."

"I see," Carter said, nodding her head, "Princess, if you wouldn't mind, would you allow our doctors to do some tests? Nothing invasive, we just want to make sure neither of our peoples can get the other sick."

"Would that be the Doctor Juan, you mentioned earlier Dr. Jackson?" Cadance asked.

"Yes, that's correct," Carter said with a nod, "I know Dr. Juan would love to get to know you."

"Sure, meeting new ponies is fun," Lyra said, waving her hoof dismissively, more interested in examining the utensils they had been given.

"Couldn't Dr. Jackson do those tests?" Bon Bon's tone had a slight distaste to it at the word test.

"I'm flattered but I'm not that kind of doctor," Daniel said, pausing his meal, "Though if you want me to be there during the tests I don't think Dr. Juan would mind."

"What kind of doctor are you?" Bon Bon asked suddenly. "You said we were an archeologist like Lyra is?"

"I'm a doctor of archeology and linguistics," Daniel explained. "Doctor means more than just medicine to us." That bit of information surprised him, he would have thought Lyra had their version of a Ph.D., though Cadance did say their children didn't go to school as long as humans did.

"Really? Hmm... Doctor sounds like one of the old words for The Teachers," Lyra commented, looking up, the fork floating in her magic.

"Doctor comes from Latin, 'to teach,' Latin itself being a derivation of the Ancients' language," Daniel prattled off. "A good portion of our languages are actually based on the languages of other races, most notably the Asgard, Goa'uld and the Ancients."

"Thanks to The Teachers and the Age of Revival after Discord, most ponies speak Equestrian, which is based on the Teachers' Tongue. Our languages must have so many parallels!"

Bon Bon sighed, covering her face with her leg as Daniel and Lyra got going. "It's nice that Lyra found someone to talk to about those things, but I think that they've _both_ forgotten that the rest of us are here."

"Daniel gets like this sometimes, and it's rare that he finds anyone who can keep up with him. An alien who can? He's like a child with a new toy," Sam chuckled, stirring her food, somewhat grateful for the distraction.

Cadance giggled as Lyra and Daniel's discussion got even more animated, the pair seeming completely oblivious to those around them as they discussed the more obvious marks the ancients left on their respective cultures. "Do you think his cutie mark would have been in ancient history like Lyra's?"

"Cutie Mark?" Sam asked.

"Oh! You weren't there for that explanation," Cadance held her hoof to her mouth before quickly explaining.

"I see," Sam said, looking at the images in a new light. "If that's how they work, then almost certainly. I have never met anyone as passionate about history as Daniel."

"You might have now," Bon Bon smiled fondly before she blinked and turned her attention back to Sam. "But we're getting distracted. What sort of tests are we talking about?"

"Nothing too invasive," Sam promised. "A simple battery of tests to determine your health and learn a bit more of your biology. Assuming the techs were able to get the infirmary online, which they should have since it was one of our priority tasks and they have had all this time, it should pass quickly."

"I can't speak for them but I will submit to these tests as a show of good faith," Cadance said, slipping into the diplomatic training Celestia had painstakingly drilled into her head, "Then perhaps we can discuss this 'stargate' of yours."

"Well... if the princess is okay with it... so am I." Bon Bon nodded, giving Cadance a quick glance, narrowing her eyes a little.

"I understand your concern," Sam admitted, thinking back to the times when she and her team were the ones on the other side of the table. "To be honest, this has been far more casual than our standard means of operation would call for. My people fully intend to stay for a while, and I would much rather we have a welcoming relationship with the locals. Your safety and wellbeing, Princess Cadance, is just as important to me as that of any member of my team."

"Thank you General Carter," Cadance said with a smile, "I know you'll get along swimmingly with my aunts."

"And they would be alicorns as well?" Sam asked.

"That is correct, though unlike me, they were born as alicorns." Cadance explained, "They have been ruling the nation for centuries."

"What are they like? If you don't mind me asking," Sam asked. Based solely on the three ponies present in Shangri-La, Sam suspected that their rule was far from the standard set by the Goa'uld in the Milky Way, but she wanted to get it from the horse's mouth... so to speak.

"Celestia is very approachable, very maternal. She is also, how did Shiny put it?" She tapped her chin. "I think he called her a troll. She likes to play pranks. As for Luna well... she only returned about two years ago, so she's still transitioning to modern life."

Sam instantly thought of Egeria, though the similarities were fleeting to nonexistent. "She considers her subjects as... family?"

"She sees all her subjects as her 'little ponies'," Cadance said with a giggle. "She's very informal once you get to know her."

Sam nodded slightly, idly listening to Daniel and Lyra as they shared their experiences with their respective academic communities. "How long have you been ruling?"

"Only for the past month or so, when the Empire returned," Cadance admitted with a sheepish smile, "Celestia however has been ruling for the past thousand years."

"The meeting with her will be an interesting one," Sam mused. As pleasant as Cadance was, the fact that she was still being held against her will still weighed on her mind. "I heard you tried to make contact with your aunt and failed?"

"She tried a faefire spell, but it immediately returned," Bon Bon said, speaking up.

"Something was blocking the spell," Cadance admitted. "I'm not sure what, but the spell rebounded and just sent the letter right back to me."

"Without knowing how your magic works, I would hesitate to speculate, but it's possible that the shield protecting the city is what is keeping your magic from working," Sam proposed. It made sense. The Ancients were known for adding precautions to new dangers. Like the countdown and gate lock-out on Destiny, and the ATA requirement. If magia, or _magic_ was as common to the races on this planet as the video and these three suggested, it was quite likely that they came up with countermeasures.

"So we really are stuck here, then?" Cadance asked with a sigh, "Shiny is probably losing his mind with worry." Cadance groaned, letting her head fall onto the table, looking a little tired.

"Stuck for now at least," Sam admitted. As much as she would have liked to lower the shield, if at least to allow Cadance to make contact with the other leaders of her nation, the state of the city didn't allow it. City ships depended on their shields not only for their defensive needs, but for structural integrity. The buildings that composed most of the city ships, although extremely artistic and far stronger than their delicate looks would imply, were still susceptible to damage.

Many of the buildings were encased in a shell of ice that would likely collapse in on the city itself once the shield was deactivated. At the present time, Shangri-La's shield was operating in a manner similar to the jumper's passive field or Aurora class warships shield; a field contoured to the city's structure itself. The current plan was to expand the shield to full size, rather than that thin layer, forcibly shattering the ice and pushing it, and likely much of the ice pinning the substructure, away.

However, Sam had put that plan on hold until she could get her teams to run full diagnostics on all ten emitters. They had been running, albeit it at low power, for thousands of years. If even one emitter had a fault in the change over, the damage done to the city by the ice might prove crippling for months, years to come, even. Atlantis still dealt with the lingering side effects of damage from micrometeorite strikes it suffered years before, and that was even with the city's self repair functions working at it. In fact, Rodney had listed those same damages in his report on why Atlantis was almost stranded between galaxies on its return to Pegasus.

Sam was determined not to let her city suffer that kind of avoidable damage just to accomplish something faster. She smiled a little. Only a day and she was already considering Shangri-La hers. It helped that Shangri-La was remarkably similar to Atlantis in layout, more so than any of the other city ships they had discovered. It brought back fond memories. Perhaps, if they did move the city, she could have them land on the sea somewhere. She could be the one to invite Jack over to fish for a change.

"General Carter?" Cadance's voice startled Sam from her introspection.

"Oh, what?" Sam blinked in surprise, before smiling. "I'm sorry, I got a bit distracted. And you can call me Samantha."

"Samantha," Cadance tried the word on her tongue before shaking her head with a chuckle. "Well, 'Samantha,' your people really do have odd names."

"We think the same, Princess _Mi Amore Cadenza_ ," Sam laughed.

"Any ideas why?" Bon Bon asked.

Lyra and Daniel both turned with a smile. "We were just talking about that..."


	4. Discovery Part 4

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Discovery [Part 4]

"Don't touch anything!" the familiar warning came. The speaker was a somewhat heavy-set man, his mass more from thick bones and exercise than flab. Donald Thorne was one of the more decorated engineers on the expedition, and he wasn't about to let his team fall into simple pitfalls. "You know how the Ancients were. No telling what some of this stuff will do. We are just mapping out the city, matching rooms, locations and purposes with what they send us!"

"Yes, _ma_ ," the call came back. It wasn't that the advice was bad. Only that they had heard it every third door they opened. Considering the slow progress in translating the city's system and weeding information from the database, all they had to work with was the rough outlines of the sections.

"This one looks like another suite of rooms," Jane Faroe, the only female on the team, reported. "Five rooms this time and what might be a closet."

"Is it a-"

"No, it's not a transport booth," she sighed, rolling her eyes as she checked off the list.

"Alright. Looks like this sector is a good area for general population." Thorne nodded. "Anything better than what we found so far? We still need to earmark someplace as the diplomatic quarters."

"The suites on the 74th floor still top the list. This one isn't bad though," a seedy male said, slipping out from one of the rooms. Despite his appearance, Calvin Higgs had proven to be a worthy SGC member for four years running now, particularly in matters of logistics and diplomacy. "Got their own bathrooms. Tubs, not showers. Everything on this level is more spacious too. Might be better for our new friends than the ones on 74th. More width, less height. There is a transport booth not three minutes away, and a large atrium that Newman says was once a green room."

"How else would you explain the amount of dead plant material?" Newman said slowly. Though their military escort, he dabbled in botany after spending six months assigned to an off world research team working with various plant species. He was also known for his measured speech.

"Enough chatter, people," Thorne called, waving a hand in the air. "We still have the other half of this sector to check. It looks like it's another block of rooms, possibly secondary labs, but we need to make sure."

As the team moved down the hall, a small ball of fuzz stirred, sprouting wings. It opened its eyes, revealing two green orbs. It buzzed its wings, gazing around the room, a hungry gleam in its eyes...

* * *

The infirmary wasn't exactly a hub of activity, but the medical staff still had work to do. Stocks of medicines and other supplies needed to be stowed away, equipment needed to find new homes, space needed to be organized and arranged and a few bandages needed to be handed out for the bumps and bruises a few expedition members had gotten. Someone had more or less ordered Hendrix to the infirmary to get himself assessed, as a precaution against the off chance he did get something from the body he encountered. When he was cleared, they kept him around. As he had been warned, having the ATA gene tended to get you volunteered to be a living power switch.

"Anything else you need turned on, doc?" Floyd asked, sitting down on a chair, having been passed around a few times in the past hour. He ran a hand through his hair, glad he even had the chance to sit down.

"I think you can take a breather, Mr. Hendrix," Dr. Juan, a rather grizzled yet jovial-looking man, assured him, looking up from his clipboard. "You've saved us a lot of time today."

"I'm just glad I didn't get any weird space plague," Floyd responded as he fiddled with the amulet, which glowed faintly. "I really need to get this thing looked at."

"They could probably get a look at it when they get the science labs running," Dr. Juan nodded. "There's not much the equipment here can tell aside from confirming it's not giving off harmful radiation of any kind."

"Well, it did shock me..." Floyd responded, giving it a bit of a shake, which didn't really do anything, "Eh, I'll figure it out..." he said, shrugging a little.

"The shock didn't seem to do any damage to you that I could detect, but I put you down to have further blood work done. Mostly for the record." The doctor set his clipboard aside and gave an easy smile.

The doors to the infirmary hissed open, admitting a curious group. Led by Dr. Jackson and accompanied by Jasmine Iwu, the three alien visitors, at least one of them giddy with excitement and curiosity, trooped into the room.

"Ah! Dr. Jackson! And our guests!" Dr. Juan beamed at them. "You must be here for your checkups!"

"Dr. Juan, may I introduce Princess Cadance and her companions Bon Bon and Lyra," Daniel smiled. He motioned the mares towards the doctor. "This is Dr. Juan, head physician for our expedition."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, doctor," Cadance said, giving a slight bow. "I understand you're to run a few tests?"

"Nothing too complicated," Dr. Juan said jovially. "Or too invasive. They were kind enough to focus on getting the infirmary's systems more or less on their feet, so the medical scanners are working fine. The worst will be dental checks and taking a blood sample."

"I'll go first," Bon Bon said, moving over to . "Test away!" She couldn't exactly let the princess go first, not until she was sure it was safe.

"Excellent, excellent!" Juan motioned for Bon Bon to follow him to the waist-high medical scanner. It was a rectangular device, bearing the typical aesthetics of ancient technology: a body somewhere between metal and stone, the top a translucent crystalline substance that had some give in it, so it was less like a solid surface and somewhat like a padded one, with an arm hanging over it. It was long enough that even a tall man could lay on it without issues.

"We can start with the easy one! Can you climb up and lay on the scanner please?" Juan requested.

Bon Bon, who was at eye level with the table, reared on her hind legs and pulled herself up, laying with her legs tucked underneath her. "Is this good?"

"Perfect," Juan said. He typed a few keys on a nearby computer, causing both the table she lay on and the arm the hung over it to glow. "Don't mind the light," he said absently as the arm slowly made its way down the length of her body. "It will be done in a bit."

Bon Bon watched it intently. "What's it doing, exactly?" She didn't feel anything, but it had to be doing something.

"To put it in simple terms, it's taking pictures of your body both inside and out, and using them to give me a better idea of your general health," Juan replied. "Of course, there are some things that it won't tell us, and some things that I prefer to find out the old fashioned way, but it's a wonderful place to start."

"So its like an X-ray machine?" Lyra asked, looking at the machine, "Like, it shows bones and stuff?"

"Oh no, it's an _Ancient_ X-ray machine," Daniel quipped. "There's a difference."

Juan chuckled softly and shook his head. "Well, I can't say how advanced your people's radiology is, but to compare this with one of our X-rays would be like comparing a black and white photo to one of those new 3D Blu-ray movies."

"They wouldn't exactly know what that means," Daniel pointed out.

"Right. Still, the information this machine gathers is more than just what your bones look like," Juan said as he read the information. "It can tell me what your bones are made of, map out blood vessels, show me organs..."

"Oooh... can I see?" Lyra asked, trotting over to him, her hooves clopping on the floor softly.

"Sure," Juan shifted enough to let Lyra see the screens. Daniel, after a moment, joined them. Bon Bon's scans were displayed, accompanied by a mix of English and Ancient text. Of course, it was _medical_ English and Ancient, which was more or less its own language. The images had little resemblance to the mare on the scanner; just faint outlines with differing details, one showing bones, another showing organs in various colours, a third showing a network of red and blue blood vessels.

"Well, I can only assume this is natural, but I've never seen such a high level of naquadah in a biological system. Even higher than the Goa'uld," Juan commented.

"What's naqublag?" Lyra asked, looking up at Juan curiously.

"I think he means a type of alicor," Cadance spoke up, "It's a rather common mineral. Most living beings have it in their systems, it helps to conduct magic."

"We call it naquadah," Daniel said. "It's one of the cornerstones of our more advanced technology. The stargates are made out of it."

"And you say it's common?" Jasmine asked. "Exactly how common?"

"Common enough that unicorn horns are made out of it," Cadance said, tapping her horn gently, "The raw version is mostly used in the construction of magical artifacts and in more mana intensive spells."

"Fancy yourself a doctor, princess?" Juan joked, comparing Bon Bon's results with the standard for a human.

"Oh no, but it's my job to know the details," Cadance said with a grin. "At least that's what my aunt always says... and I picked up a few things when I foalsat Twilight."

"Excuse me, princess? Is it alright if I record this?" Floyd asked, having taken out a camcorder, though it was off at the moment

"Medical records remain private and are kept primarily between the patient and her medical practitioners," Juan politely chastised. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you not to record this, as important as it may be."

"No prob, doc," Floyd responded, taking the battery out and putting it on the table. "Maybe an interview later, princess?"

"So, uh, what do the tests say?" Bon Bon asked suddenly shifting the conversation back to herself, "Anything I should be worried about?"

"As far as I can tell, you are perfectly healthy," Juan aside after a moment's contemplation. "The system, which I assume is matching your records with what it has in its database for your species, is coming up with all greens. Green is good, by the way," he added as an afterthought.

"That would be fine," Cadance smiled softly at Floyd.

"Me next! Me next!" Lyra chirped, hopping onto the table as Bon Bon slid off, all the while wagging her tail with a bright smile. She lay down, giving Juan the happiest smile she could.

"Calm down, Lyra, it's just a medical exam," Bon Bon scolded, rolling her eyes. "I mean really, you get so weird sometimes."

"Stop trying to bring me down!" Lyra shot back, sticking her tongue out playfully, "Besides, you've never complained about my... enthusiasm." She gave a seductive smirk, her eyes half-lidded.

"Lyra!" Bon Bon hissed, her eyes going wide and her cheek fur actually turning red.

Cadance couldn't help but giggle, bringing a hoof to her mouth. "You two are adorable, you know that?"

Juan chose not to comment. "Would you rather go through the full test, Miss Bon Bon, or let Miss Lyra have her go on the scanners first?"

"You can uh... let her go." Bon Bon said, looking away, letting out a cough as she tried to hide her blush, getting Lyra to snicker at her marefriend's discomfort.

"Well, you have already climbed up, Miss Lyra," Juan smiled. She smiled back, adjusting her position and laying down. The machine started up more quickly the second time. Juan did have the gene, but it was an artificially activated one, not natural, and near the lower end of the chart. He didn't have that knack or connection with the devices those ranked higher did.

Lyra's readouts started popping up and Juan hummed thoughtfully at them. "It seems the naquadah, ah, alicor you called it? Well, it's far more concentrated in you than in Miss Bon Bon. Mainly in the skull and primarily in the horn, with the rest of your body having comparatively trace amounts. Miss Bon Bon's readings had high levels cross the entirety of her body."

"Oh, that's easy," Cadance spoke, "Each tribe uses their magic differently. Earth ponies like Bon Bon are the strongest and have a deep tie with nature. Unicorns can directly manipulate their magic via their horns, and Pegasi use it in their wings, and can use it to control the weather."

"That's interesting," Daniel commented, half to himself as if he were only voicing a theory as it came to him. "Peak physical capabilities and increased awareness and empathy of and with the environment, telekinesis and energy manipulation, and control over weather... those are all abilities we've documented various near-ascended beings performing. No wonder the Ancients were surprised when they first met your people."

"And that's just ponies," Cadance said, "Most of the races of our world have a connection with magic."

"Races? As in... not just ponies?" Floyd asked, raising his eyebrow.

"There was a slight reference to other races in the recording," Daniel nodded. He looked curiously at Floyd. "You didn't notice it?"

"Not really," Floyd said, shaking his head. "Can you tell us about them?"

"Certainly," Cadance said with a smile, "there's the zebras, the griffons, the yaks, the buffalo, the dragons, the deer, and the horses."

"And minotaurs, the old kentaur empire and the changelings," Lyra added helpfully.

"That's... quite a lot of races," Daniel managed. He recalled the issues the SGC had just trying to get the Tok'ra, Jaffa and humans to get along. This sounded impossible in comparison, yet it had worked for thousands of years apparently.

"There are also two other groups of ponies, both of which joined Equestria after its founding: the Strigoi, and more recently, the crystal ponies," Cadance piped up. "There may be more, but we haven't met them yet." She turned to Juan. "Is it my turn?"

"I think the doctor should finish the tests on me first," Bon Bon said, as she moved over to look up at Juan. "I'm ready when you are, doctor."

"Tell me, what does your medical science include? Do your people draw blood?" Juan asked. He motioned to one of the nurses. "That's what we will need to do for the last tests."

"Yes, we draw blood," she said with a nod, holding her hoof out. "Other than that, I can't really help. I'm a candy maker, not a doctor."

"You at least know the concept," Juan reassured her. The nurse appeared at his side with a push cart filled with equipment. Juan himself reached for a wheeled chair. "Now, I'll need to take a few more vials that I normally would. Still far before what I estimate would pose a threat to your health. The same goes for all of you," he added, including Lyra and Cadance in the conversation. "If only because you are the first of your race we have encountered, and we will need to perform a wider suite of tests on it."

"That's fine, doctor," Cadance said with a nod, "I trust it won't be anything too invasive, I hope?"

"It will involve a needle in one of your veins, which the scanner already identified, and letting blood pressure fill the different vials. After that, we'll perform the tests on them at a later date." Juan held up one of the vials as an example.

"Allow me to go first," Bon Bon said, still holding her hoof out, smiling at him.

"Will you be comfortable in that position?" Juan asked. "It can take over a minute to draw the quantity we need, and you can't be moving around while it's being done."

"I'll be fine doctor, I assure you," she said with a smile, sitting on her haunches much like a dog. She held her arm out, wincing a little as the nurse stuck her with the needle, surprisingly getting it right on the first try, even with the alien anatomy, taking her blood. They filled nine vials altogether, Juan deftly swapping out one for another with practiced efficiency. The needle was removed and quickly replaced with a cotton ball they tied down with a strip of bandage.

"First sample of blood from an indigenous species," Juan smiled happily. "I'll have so much fun studying this."

"Me next?" Lyra asked, sitting up much like a human would, letting her hind legs dangle off the side of the table.

"Well, if you would climb down," Juan suggested, "one of the nurses can take your blood and we can have the Princess scanned."

She nodded, hopping off the table and trotting over while Cadance took her place. The same nurse that assisted Juan with Bon Bon softly gave her instructions and started on drawing her blood.

"Shall I remove my regalia?" Cadance asked, gesturing to herself.

Juan considered the question for a moment before he gave his response. "I would advise you to do so. While the scanner can operate through clothing, I'm not sure what, if any, effect your regalia and crown would have on it."

She nodded, letting her horseshoes fall to the floor and placing her crown and necklace on a nearby chair. "You may test away doctor." Bon Bon frowned as the monarch disrobed, looking rather uncomfortable.

Daniel noticed her discomfort, but didn't directly comment on it. "Bon Bon, would you watch over Princess Cadance's regalia until she is ready to don it again?" Bon Bon nodded, gathering up the horseshoes then trotting over and placing them on the chair with the rest of the regalia.

The scanner took longer to work on Cadance than it had on the other two, but in time her results were added to the database as well, though her scans were more complex than those taken of Lyra and Bon Bon. Daniel tapped a finger at one line that came up in ancient, slipping through the translation program completely. "It seems alicorns really are considered further along the path to ascension than the average person. Er, pony."

"How so?" Cadance asked, tilting her head.

"Well, I don't know," Daniel admitted. "There are a lot of factors that I admittedly don't remember, and don't fully understand. Juan and the other doctors would have to give this information a full analysis before we can get a real answer."

"If we _can_ get such an answer," Juan added. "There are some things that our understanding of science still cannot make heads or tails of. Perhaps it has something to do with being able to express the traits of all three tribes at once."

"I can tell you, it was weird when I first ascended, I kept using too much force with my hooves and my magic surged whenever I was suddenly surprised," Cadance spoke, rubbing her chin. "And I was still a filly at the time."

"It might be something we study for a long time," Juan remarked.

* * *

"MALP telemetry reads viable atmosphere," the gate technician announced into the radio as the gateship lowered itself gently from the bay on the top level, coming to a hover just before the gate. "Looks to be before daybreak planetside. No immediate evidence of civilization in the vicinity of the gate. No radio frequencies detected either."

"Copy that, command," Major Marshal replied. There were seven people in the jumper: Major George Marshal, the officer in charge of the team, Captain Wendy King, their primary pilot, Captains Jason Samson and Frederick Anderson for additional military might, Doctors Moriah Hill and Michael Moore to properly identify and supervise the collection of the resource they need, and finally, Devon.

As a military officer with both training on the science and research side and high ratings on jumper simulations, Bowers assigned him to the team as a support officer. Carter took over the line. "The database indicates that this world should be uninhabited, and the surface rock should have high amounts of the mineral we need so you shouldn't have to dig much to get it. Between the jumper's sensors and the ones Dr. Hill has, you should be able to get enough of the pure mineral we need and be back before long. Our best estimate places it within fifty miles of the gate, but no other planet was more promising."

"Understood, General."

"Good. While our guests might not be a burden, and they don't have an issue being in our care, it would be best for diplomatic relationships that we restore communications with them as soon as possible. Jumper 1, you are clear for departure."

"We'll be back before you know it," Marshall replied. With that, the jumper slipped through the event horizon.

Carter watched the MALP's feed as the jumper emerged from the other side and arced to avoid the tree line as it went to a spiraling ascent so its sensors could have better range. "Shut it down. Redial in an hour to check up on them and to retrieve the MALP."

"Understood, ma'am," the technician said, shutting down the gate.

"Ma'am, I got a report that team 6 has finished their assessment of the emitter. It's operating within acceptable margins at 94%," another told her.

Carter nodded absently. Things were falling into place. That was the seventh of ten emitters checked. One needed a few minor tweaks, but those were being taken care of, and the other five were good so far. The chill air had warmed to a more moderate, though still cold, temperature as the life support did its thing. The musty smell of age and time had also been cleared away. It still wasn't pine fresh, or the faint salt scent of Atlantis, but it was a major improvement either way. Things were looking up.

"Command, this is Thorne," the radio crackled. "We have something... interesting to report."

She should have known better. She hid her sigh. "This is Carter. Go ahead, Dr. Thorne."

* * *

The peach coloured ball of fluff with too-big orange eyes floated in the air on two pairs of buzzing wings, chirring happily at the team and trying to nuzzle Higgs, who was doing his best to ward it off with a pen. "What do you want from me? Jesus!"

"We found... something alive. About the size of an apple, flying, I think four legs, round with huge eyes," Thorne reported. "It has an interest in Higgs for some reason."

"Something alive? In a city that was sealed for thousands of years?" Carter's voice, though level, still had a tone of bemusement to it. "Does it seem dangerous?"

"It seems..."

"Cute?" Faroe offered.

"... Cute," Thorne grunted.

"God dammit!" Higgs yelled as it ducked under his waving pen and nuzzled at his chest. Faroe laughed as he chased it away, fumbling at his pocket.

"It definitely has a thing for Higgs," she said, joining the conversation. "Hey, you got anything on you that that thing wants?" she asked, looking at the fuzzball as it nuzzled Higgs' pocket.

"Only thing I got on me that it might want are some protein bars," Higgs complained, managing to catch the critter between his hands, careful not to pin its delicate wings. It smiled at him, chirping happily.

"Try not to antagonize it," Carter instructed. "We've dealt with seemingly harmless entities that turned out to be dangerous when provoked before."

"Think our guests know what it is?"

"Would they?" Higgs asked, eyeing the creature carefully. "We found it in the city, after all. Could be another ancient experiment." Faroe walked over and deftly picked his pocket. "Hey!"

"Just getting it what it wants, Higgs," she said, wagging the protein bar she took. The creature stared at the bar and chirped rapidly. "General, any objections to feeding it? It seems to have an interest in the protein bars, and it should be plenty hungry after all this time..."

Higgs grumbled, not happy about the theft. The creature chittered, nipping at the packaging, looking up at Faroe with pleading eyes.

"I don't see why not," Carter said after a moment. "Thorne, how far along is your progress?"

"We've mostly completed this section, ma'am. It's clear and habitable, though the large atrium we found could use some new horticulture and landscaping," Thorne said promptly. "Sizable living quarters for the most part."

Faroe eagerly opened the wrapper and held it out to the creature. It made short work of it, chomping off big bites and swallowing with little chewing, much like a bird would.

"Okay, Higgs, Faroe, take the creature up to the biolabs. The team should be mostly set up there," Carter directed. "Thorne, you and Newman can finish the assessment before returning. We should have cleared enough living space for most all of the expedition to at least find a place for the night."

"Understood ma'am, Thorne out. Alright, you heard the General, let's go," he ordered.

"Come on cutie, let's see what you are!" Faroe said, gently guiding the creature onto her shoulder, patting it. It nuzzled her hand, cooing softly.

Leaving Thorne and Newman to their task, Faroe and Higgs retraced their steps, heading to the transport booth they located earlier in their search. Higgs was content to no longer be the subject of the creature's attentions, casting wary glances at it as it rode on Faroe's shoulder, buzzing happily as she continued to feed it pieces of food.

"Are you sure you should be feeding it so much?" Higgs asked. "Aren't you afraid it will, I dunno, pop?"

"That's ridiculous," Faroe chided. "What sort of critter could do that?"

"The Priors' beetles ate until they killed themselves," Higgs commented harshly.

"I doubt this little cutie could do that," Faroe said, rolling her eyes, "What if this little guy is some lost pet? He's probably been so lonely here." She fed the little thing the last piece of the bar, smiling at it.

"Lost pet, just hanging around for a few thousand years," Higgs muttered under his breath. The sad part was that it was still far from the strangest thing the SGC had come across. Not even the strangest that year. He waved his hand in front of the sensor when the arrived at the transport booth and motioned for Faroe to step in first.

She got in, petting it. "Oh come on, it could have been hibernating," she argued, giving the little fuzzy thing a scratch on the head. It chittered happily, buzzing its wings.

The booth filled with the white flash as it transported them up and across the tower. "Fine, I'll give you that. Maybe they wanted a pet that could live as long as they did. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Oh come on, how can you hate this little guy?" she cooed, giggling as it nipped at her fingers.

Higgs looked at the peach ball with wings, blinking its too big insect eyes at him and chirring. "It's not that hard. Bug eyes aren't supposed to blink."

"Maybe it's not a bug," she argued. "It could be some weird mammal."

"Maybe we should leave that for the biologists to decide," Higgs retorted. "Either way, I don't like it."

"Scared of a tiny little fluff ball?" she asked as they moved through the corridors, keeping an eye out for anything else.

There were more signs of activity in that section of the city, from crates and storage containers to other expedition members going about their business, a few casting curious glances at the pair. Higgs kept focusing straight ahead. "You're not going to change my mind."

* * *

The HUD unobtrusively marked the major terrain shifts between the data from the database and what lay before them as the jumper ate up the distance between the deposit field and the gate at a leisurely cruising speed. Trees and stark rock vanished outside their view as Captain Wendy smoothly piloted the craft over them. Numbers along the right edge of the display shifted as they tracked various variables.

 _Altitude, velocity, temperature, drive output, field strength, dampeners,_ Devon mentally labeled. His side dash was taken up with the tablet linked to the system, the rapidly updating map steadily rendering as he gave it commands, the Ancient systems leaping on his thoughts.

"How long until we land?" Dr. Hill asked from behind him. "The mineral traces are steadily increasing."

"Just another minute or so," King answered. "Any particular spots we should be looking for?"

"Caves or silt deposits would be best," Dr. Moore called out from where he was fiddling with the equipment packs sitting in the middle of the jumper's rear compartments, paying particular attention to the small drone reminiscent of the Mark I MALPs. "I'd rather we didn't have to dig if we can avoid it."

"I'd rather we not walk through mud if we don't have to," Marshal added wryly.

"I hope it's a cave, always wanted to go spelunking," Devon chuckled, looking up from his tablet. "I never had the chance as a kid, we didn't have any caves."

"Either way we'll have to carry it back to the jumper," Marshal smirked. He laid back in his seat behind King, more or less relaxed considering the nature of the mission. "Not a bad draw for our first off-world mission."

"If the remote works as planned and the terrain allows, we can load it up and just drive it back to the jumper." Dr Moore seemed to have done all he could or wanted to and left the supplies alone.

"I really hope it works," Devon said, returning his attention to his tablet, "I'd rather not have to carry large chunks of rock. How much do we need exactly?"

"We don't need a large amount to repair the transporter," Dr. Hill admitted. "The relays won't take much palladium hydride to be replaced. Purity would be the main concern about how much we gather, but we decided it would be best if we got as much as we can on this trip."

"Ah! Here we go!" King called, "you wanted a cave, well you got one." She cast a glance at Devon, smiling. "You bring your mining helmet?"

"It's better than mucking through the mud," Devon laughed as the jumper started it's descent. "How many things use this mineral? I hear about naquadah, trinium and neutronium a lot, I don't remember palladium."

"Palladium _hydride_ ," Dr. Moore specified, if somewhat stuffily. "It, like with carocev and olesian ore, is one of the lesser known components that are used in different parts of Ancient and Asgardian technologies. They don't normally suffer wear or get seriously damaged often, but when they do you just have to replace them."

"The big three dominate the resource market, but it's still good to have the others in your supply," Dr. Hill added. "Case in point: the damaged transporter. The fix is little more than pulling out the damaged relays and replacing them, but we need the palladium hydride to manufacture it. Once we have it, it should be working again in a day or two."

"Whenever you are finished with your lesson," King interrupted suddenly. "We've landed."

"You heard the lady," Marshal said. "Time to go look for our hidden treasure."

* * *

"So..." Lyra started with a casual drawl. With the aid of a security officer Carter sent along, Daniel was escorting the three ponies to the rooms that had been set aside for them... and he had been expecting this. "Now that we've been checked out by the doctor and all..."

"You can't go through the gate," Daniel said, skipping to the end of her proposal.

"Hey! Who said that was what I was going to ask you about?" Lyra pouted, tossing her mane in a show of affront. "I don't appreciate you jumping to conclusions."

"I... uh... can I go through the gate _please?_ " Lyra pleaded, trotting sideways so she could look at Daniel as she did.

"Lyra," Bon Bon said with a somewhat strained expression. "Just let it go."

"You know, I'd like to go through it as well," Cadance said with a large smile on her face. The idea of going to other worlds was something she didn't want to pass up if she had the choice.

"Come on, doc. Can you really say no to these guys?" Floyd commented, having tagged along to get Cadance's interview.

"Perhaps later, when our people and yours can officially begin relations," Daniel continued, sticking to his response. With Princess Cadance missing from the perspective of her nation, allowing her offworld on top of that would be a disaster. "Besides, we've only ever used this gate twice. We know nothing about this galaxy."

"But that could be forever!" Lyra whined. Their escort hid his laugh with a cough as she stomped her hooves.

"Lyra, don't you want to go back and rub it in everypony's face that you were right?" Bon Bon asked, trying a different tactic. "You can come back and go through their gate after."

"Can't we just, I dunno, go for a five minute trip or something?" Floyd asked, scratching the back of his neck, "You can send Bowers and me along to make sure they stay out of trouble."

"Yeah! We'll be on our bestest behavior!" Lyra agreed, nodding her head up and now, giving a big smile, her biggest actually.

"General Carter ordered gate usage limited to emergencies," the escort chimed in. "Right now the only mission approved was to attain the resources to repair the transporter."

"It will possibly be a week or more before we are ready to establish regular gate usage," Daniel continued. "Between sweeping, clearing and securing the city, which is a massive endeavour on its own, allocating space for all of our various departments and living space, simply finding accommodations for you three took a few hours, and general unpacking; ensuring your safety offworld, particularly yours Princess Cadance, is not something we are quite able to do at this time.

"I've been shot at on far too many supposedly 'safe' worlds to count. And we only have a couple thousand year old database to judge from." Daniel shook his head slowly. "At the moment, only the safe return of you three ponies can ensure a proper relationship with our new neighbours. A pleasure trip through the gate will have to wait until much later."

"I am flattered that you are so worried about my safety, but I can hold my own quite well," Cadance spoke up, "I was able to keep Sombra out of the Empire for days with my shield."

"I won't question that, Princess Cadance, but we have seen shields which held back an entire ocean for ten thousand years get pierced by enemy weapons in a matter of hours," Daniel commented soberly. His thoughts flashed to some of the things he had seen on SG-1 and what the Atlantis Expedition encountered. "And that isn't considering what we may find in the city itself. The last city ship we populated had so many hidden dangers that we stumbled across them years later."

"You really kept Sombra out for days?" Lyra asked, a bit of awe in her voice.

"I did," Cadance said with a hint of pride, "but keeping a shield that big up for that long is exhausting, I passed out several times and eventually, I just couldn't keep it up anymore. Thankfully, Twilight and Spike were able to find the Crystal Heart in time."

"That sounds rough," Floyd commented, trying to picture the scene on his mind, picturing some horrible demon horse attacking a herd of child-friendly ponies.

"It was the second worst time in my life," Cadance responded.

"Maybe you and the Princess can talk about that as part of your interview," Daniel suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Floyd said with a smile, absentmindedly fiddling with his amulet, which glowed faintly at his touch.

Cadance smiled as well, though she did glance at the amulet with fleeting interest. "Thank you again. You've made this far less troubling than it could have been."

"Think nothing of it," Daniel said dismissively, "Anyway, here is your room, princess." He came to a stop, opening the door for her.

"This is gonna be like a sleep over!" Lyra said excitedly, quickly rushing into the room.

"Lyra! You're supposed to..." Bon Bon started in a belated attempt to stop her friend. She sighed before finishing lamely, "let the princess go first."

"No, it's fine," Cadance giggled. "She really hasn't changed much since we were foals."

"Hey Daniel! How do you work the sho-Yipe!" Lyra yelped suddenly as the sound of spraying water started up. "Cold, cold, sweet Celestia this is cold! Nevermind! I figured it out!"

"I'll try to keep them out of trouble." Floyd saluted Daniel, walking into the room to set up his camera.

"Have fun, Hendrix," Daniel said with a little wave. "But not too much fun. Call if you get lost when you're done."


	5. Crosscurrent Part 1

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Crosscurrent

"Okay, state your name for the camera please," Floyd instructed as he framed the shot. It hadn't taken him long to set up and get rolling. He had decided to start with Cadance first, who was sitting on her bed, wearing a soft smile.

"My name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza but my friends call me Cadance," she responded, adjusting her wings.

"Alright Cadance, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"

"Sure! What would you like to know?"

"Well, you said you used to be a pegasus, could you tell us a little about that?"

"Oh certainly!" She flashed a smile, clearing her throat, "I'm an orphan, I was found in the woods as a baby by an earth pony family who took me in and raised me as their own. When I was about twelve a pony named Prisma, jealous of the villagers, used a necklace to steal their love."

"She stole their love?" Floyd clarified, raising his eyebrow.

"Yes, and I went to confront her. I managed to reverse her spell and return the love to its rightful owners and turn Prisma away from her horrible ways. At that moment, I was transported to a very strange place. It was empty and filled with mist. I met Princess Celestia there and she adopted me as her niece. She cast a powerful spell and returned me to Equestria, but as an alicorn."

"Huh, you should talk to Dr. Jackson about that, he'd probably find it interesting."

"Because of his past experiences?" Cadance asked. "Or curiosity?"

"Probably both," Floyd cleared his throat, "Can you tell us about your country? You've mentioned an Empire before and an 'Equestria,' would you mind sharing anything about them?"

"It's something of a difficult topic to explain, but I'll do my best," Cadance said. She looked pensive for a moment as she organized her thoughts. "Equestria is the largest pony society in the modern age. My aunts have been leading it ever since Discord was defeated, and it has prospered. The Crystal Empire, on the other hoof, was a small colony in the far north, as far as we have rediscovered.

"It seemed to have been much larger than it is now, but shortly before Discord's rule it seems like it declined, and after Discord's reign, though he focused more on the south, it never recovered." Cadance closed her eyes. "At some point about a thousand years ago, a unicorn named Sombra took it over and enslaved the crystal ponies. We don't know how long he ruled, but when my aunts found out, only one city remained, the one around the castle and the Crystal Heart.

"They tried to free what remained of the Empire from him, but failed. We don't know how, but he somehow cursed the entire empire, and it was lost until just a few years ago." Cadance shuddered, her feathers ruffling somewhat. "Everything about him seemed like hate. Hate and greed. The Crystal Heart seemed to destroy him when crystal ponies and I connected with it. Part of his curse affected _knowledge_ of the Empire, which is why it's been about impossible to find out what exactly happened during his reign, and the ponies that were under him… it's clear they were scarred. We don't want to force them to remember just because we are curious."

"I see," Floyd nodded, tapping the amulet as he thought up his next question, "Discord. Can you tell me about him?"

"Discord, he's probably one of the few beings in existence with enough magic to rival my aunts," Cadance admitted. She lit her horn and let the blue glow add to the room's lighting. "Being an alicorn, I have much more power than any unicorn, earth pony or pegasus, far more than I did before I ascended, but I'm still weaker than my aunts are. He is a draconequus, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, and in some ways he's even more powerful than they are.

"Actually," she said, looking over the Bon Bon and Lyra. "They might be able to tell you more. When he escaped his prison he was most active in Ponyville."

"I'll keep that in mind. Now, you probably already talked to Doctor Jackson about this, but what can you tell us about your aunts? Just so the leaders back home know what to expect when they can finally meet."

"Hmm… Well, I might not be the most impartial of sources but I'll try," Cadance admitted with a giggle. "I've known Aunt Celestia far longer than I've known Aunt Luna, so I'll start with her. For the last era she's been the ruler of the majority of ponykind. She is… harder to describe than I realized, honestly. She's been as much a mother to me as she has been an aunt, and when she calls others 'her little ponies,' she really means it. But that doesn't mean she looks down on any of the other species. Equestria has long had good relationships with the minotaurs, zebras and griffons and she makes sure to keep those connections amicable.

"Aunt Luna is still coming out of her shell and finding a new place for herself, but there are times when she can be a bit more forceful in negotiations than aunt Celestia, mostly because she's adjusting to the modern climate." Cadance smiled a bit ruefully at a particular memory. "But her political hooves are just as firm as her sister's. A minotaur trade minister thought he could play her for a foal, but she proved him wrong in short order."

"What exactly happened?" Floyd asked, gesturing for her to continue the story.

"It started out simple enough. Aunt Luna had just started running her court again when minister Bronzed Bond thought he could weasel the deal in the minotaur's favour. Aunt Luna didn't even need a minute before she saw through his intentions. She is a master of subtle dealings, having to aid ponies through their nightmares and difficulties at night, and when he couldn't just talk her into going his way, he tried bullying her." Cadance winced in sympathy. "Aunt Luna's voice can be quite... impactful when she lets loose."

"She's also amazing at Nightmare Night!" Lyra piped up with a bright smile.

"Nightmare Night?" Floyd asked, moving the camera to her.

"It's a night where ponies dress up as scary things and go door to door for candy! It was made in, I don't want to say honor but uh… how would you guys describe its connection to Nightmare Moon?"

"Tribute?" Bon Bon offered. She had been hanging back, unobtrusively keeping an eye on the other three.

"That works," Lyra agreed. She warmed up to the subject. "It started from the idea that the spirit of Nightmare Moon might escape on that one night of the year. The idea of costumes was so she would pass you by as she looked for victims. The candy was to give her something to eat so she didn't get too curious.

"The original cause was far darker," Lyra admitted when as she continued. "When Nightmare Moon was first sealed, ponies were always afraid she would break out. So for a while nopony would leave their homes at night in some places. Others would only leave if guards were around, or disguised as somepony, or something else. Princess Celestia eventually stomped down hard on the fear, from what I read, being distraught that ponies were still afraid of Luna's night, so it mostly died out. It came back sometime later from parents using it to discipline foals."

"Huh..." Floyd commented, rubbing his chin, "Sounds like a holiday we have back on Earth called Halloween. The original belief was, during the fall, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead would thin and on one night a year, it became so thin that spirits could freely walk the world. People would dress up as monsters to either trick the spirits into thinking they were one of them or scare them away completely."

"Really? That's amazing!" Lyra did a little trot in place. "Nightmare Night takes place in the fall too. The Teachers really must have had some influence on both our societies. After a certain point, coincidences become a pattern. I might get a stained glass window for this!"

"Don't get overly-enthusiastic," Bon Bon quickly chided.

"But the thing I want to know is, who is Nightmare Moon?" Floyd asked, trying to get them back on topic.

* * *

The conversation between Floyd and the ponies continued on for a while, shifting from topic to topic as the conversation flowed naturally. Eventually Floyd had to cut it short, having filled up his tapes, and it was getting rather late.

"Doc is going to love going over all this stuff." Floyd disassembled his tripod, placing it back into his bag. "It'll probably make his week." He zipped it up, dusting his hands off. "Well, good night ladies." He hefted it over his shoulder, moving over to the door.

"You too Floyd!" Lyra smiled, waving. "This was a lot of fun!"

"Yes, fun," Bon Bon said, eyeing Cadance who had been trying to hide her yawns.

"Hopefully we'll be able to go home tomorrow." Cadance stretched out, letting her shoes clatter to the floor. "I'm so worried about Shiny…" she sighed, removing her regalia, placing them on the night stand.

Bon Bon, who seemed to have taken it upon herself to act as Cadance's handmaiden, was the last one by the door when Floyd left. The door shut on her slightly frowning face, leaving Floyd alone in the hallway.

"What's gotten into you Bonny?" Lyra asked, looking at her. "You've gotten all frowny." Lyra slid off her bed trotting over to her. "Is everything ok?"

Bon Bon stared at the door in silence before sighing. "No, no it's not, Lyra."

"What's wrong?" she asked, pulling her into a hug, "You know you can tell me anything right?"

"Lyra, I know this is an amazing thing for you, finding out about an entire city of The Teachers, meeting a whole new kind of pony, it's a great adventure," Bon Bon huffed frustratedly. "But not only are we dependent on these humans' goodwill, but Princess Cadance is tied up in it too! I've done things like this, and they don't normally turn out well. The only one who tends to make these situations work out is Daring!"

"You're worrying over nothing Bonny." Lyra rolled her eyes. "Everything will work out fine. Just try and enjoy it okay?"

"That's generally when everything goes to Tartarus," Bon Bon grumbled.

"Bon Bon, Lyra is right," Cadance spoke up, adding her own opinion. "You don't need to make more stress for yourself than you need to."

"But Princ-"

"Cadance," Cadance correctly gently. "Just Cadance is fine. As wondrous as this place has seemed, the humans here don't seem that much different from us ponies. And they are trying to get us home just as much as we want to get home."

"Yeah!" Lyra added with a smile. "We'll all be fine!" she nuzzled Bon Bon's cheek, pulling away and heading back to bed.

Bon Bon still looked reluctant, but Cadance giggled, smiling at her. With a sigh, Bon Bon at least made the effort to put her concerns behind her. Despite the soft bed and covers, she found it harder to relax there than she did even when hunting the escaped bugbear.

* * *

In spite of Dr. Jackson's parting remark, the route back into the other occupied areas of the city wasn't a difficult one. Like Atlantis, the more residential areas of the city were connected with wide passageways that made Floyd's walk to his room that much easier.

"And he said it would be hard." Floyd smirked to himself, opening up the door and heading inside. He placed his bag on the floor, stretching his shoulders out. "Nice place…" he mumbled to himself, taking in his surroundings.

In terms of temporary housing, it wasn't a bad room. Good enough to keep even when they expanded the cleared areas of the city.

"Eh… I could use a shower." He pulled his shirt off, moving to the bathroom. He blinked, noting a small ball of fuzz on the sink. "The hell?" he asked, reaching out to touch it.

The ball of fuzz shifted when his finger poked it. Two startlingly blue eyes revealed themselves just before a mouth opened and teeth clamped on his digits.

He shouted out a string of choice obscenities, flailing his arm around and smacking the thing against the sink until it released his fingers. "The hell?!" he asked, clutching his fingers, looking at it.

The small creature was dazed, but it shuddered, as if shaking itself. It licked the trace of Floyd's blood from its jaw and brought its transparent wings to life, the buzz and its chirr combining into a hum as it darted towards him.

"Gah!" he darted away, running out of his room, still clutching his fingers. "Doc! We have a problem!" he shouted, racing around turn after turn. He had no idea if the doctor was even in this section of the city but he figured the shouting would bring someone running.

It was a big city, and Dr. Jackson had a lot of responsibilities that were keeping him away from potential rest the moment, but the yelling did attract the attentions of others. A few doors slid open after Floyd raced past them, their confused occupants more than interested in what was driving someone to disturb the peace. Most of them were unaware of the discovery Thorne's team had made, so the sight of a man and a flying pink ball that seemed steadfastly attracted to him only confused them further.

Someone must have called up to the control room about the issue, for it wasn't long before the radio crackled. _"Hendrix, what's going on?"_

"Some thing just… bit… oh come on…" He came to a stop, his eye twitching. During his run, he had moved into one of the unexplored sections of the city. Lying there, at the end of the hall was a skeleton, his bones covered in more of the fuzz balls. "We have a very, very bad problem…" he spoke softly into the radio, taking a few slow steps backwards.

 _"We have a list of them,"_ the voice called back. There were a lot of gate room technicians, it was just one of many Floyd didn't yet know. _"What did you find?"_

"How about a swarm of hungry fuzz balls?" He kept backing up, praying to whatever deity was listening that they didn't wake up. Unfortunately, he forgot about the one that was chasing him. It buzzed up behind him, sinking its jaws into his shoulder. He swore, smacking it away, before freezing up. The smell of blood wafted over to the sleeping creatures, all of them opening their too-big eyes, wings buzzing. "Please tell me we have a flamethrower?" he asked, rapidly back up, panic starting to set in.

 _"Swarm of hungry... Oh, so there are more of those things that they found?"_ the person on the other end of the line sighed. _"Toss them a candy bar or something. They seem to calm down if you feed them. Though, I'm not sure if it would make them swarm you more or not."_

"One of them just bit me twice… and I found a swarm of them surrounding a skeleton… uh… I think they smelled the blood…" The fuzzies, now that they were fully awake, seemed to lock eyes on him. They buzzed their wings, rising up as one, darting toward him. He turned on his heel and ran, losing himself rather quickly in his bid to escape the swarm.

 _"They what?"_ There was stunned silence. When the radio sounded again, it was a call for security teams.

"That doesn't help me at all!" Floyd shouted, not even bothering to actually use his radio. Up ahead he spotted another skeleton, this one picked clean as well. The skeleton was useless but the pistol-like weapon wrapped in its bony fingers was looking rather useful. Floyd dove for it, losing his radio in the process. He landed on the floor with a thud, groaning softly. Shaking himself out of it, he wrenched the weapon away from the skeleton.

"Please work," he begged before rolling onto his back, aiming what he hoped was the business end down at the swarm. The weapon hummed to life under his touch, various pieces of it lighting up. The swarm was descending on him as he fumbled, trying to find the trigger. It stung his fingers, but didn't seem to do anything more. One last desperate check finally caused the weapon to discharge, a burst of electricity erupting from the barrel. The swarm, which had almost reached him, was quickly fried, the roasted bodies dropping to the ground smoking. Floyd collapsed to the ground, too relieved to care that his radio was going off.

* * *

"You know," Devon commented as he chipped away at the cave wall laced with streaks of gold with his pick. It had been a while before the doctors found a suitable deposit, and he hadn't been thrilled to find that the cave exploration turned into mining. "I never imagined I would visit another galaxy, only to moonlight as a prospector." The chunk of rock finally broke free under his attentions, and fell to the ground to join the other chunks that he and the others had been chipping free.

"It could have been worse," Dr. Hill commented as she examined the rocks, placing the ones that made her standards separate from those that didn't. "We lucked out finding deposits that are so easily accessible. I was afraid we would have to use the C-4 to get to the usable palladium sources."

"As entertaining as that would have been," Marshall spoke up, returning from the most recent load he had carried to the jumper, "I prefer not having had need to use our C-4 supplies yet. Where are Doctors Moore and Anderson?"

"Exploring the cave a bit more," Devon said, a trace irritated. "Moore asked me to help Dr. Hill collect supplies while he did a rough assessment. Anderson accompanied him for safety."

"Dr. Moore suspects that there might be a larger palladium deposit deeper in the cave," Dr. Hill chuckled, amused at their team's youngest member's mood. "While we can get enough palladium from the trace deposits in the cave wall, we could potentially mine this location."

"And send the excess back through the gate to give the IOA something to be happy about," Marshal commented dryly. A short distance behind him, the remote that trailed him clamoured to a stop. "How is our progress?"

"With all that Lt Manley has dug out, we should have more than enough to get the transporter back online, with enough leftover to make replacement components for at least a few more things. If we need to, that is," Dr. Moore replied quickly.

"Thank god, my arms are killing me," Devon groaned, setting the pick down. He blinked and quickly added, "sir."

"No need for you to be self conscious," Marshal smiled. "I'm a bit worn out myself hauling all that rock back to the jumper." He pulled out his radio. "Moore, Anderson, come in."

There was a delay before slightly distorted voices responded. _"This is Dr. Moore. Go ahead, Maj Marshal."_

"I hope you've gotten enough spelunking in," Marshal said, frowning at the frying on the connection. "We are going to be packing it up."

 _"With all due respect, Major,"_ Dr. Moore responded, his irritated tone carrying over even with interference, _"we can easily put in a few more hours and collect a much larger supply for our stores."_

"I'm not debating that point," Marshal calmly responded. "But at the moment Dr. Hill assures me we already have enough to repair the transporter and possibly a few more jobs of the sort in our future. Getting our royal guests back home is the priority. We can always come back later."

 _"I... suppose,"_ Dr. Moore reluctantly agreed. _"Very well."_

 _"We'll meet you at the jumper, sir,"_ Anderson added, his own voice no clearer. _"Maybe thirty minutes, based on how long it took us to get this far."_

"Excellent." Marshal cut the connection and raised an eyebrow at his companions. "Thirty minutes?"

Devon merely shrugged, a sentiment Dr. Hill shared. With nothing further to do, and the official order to pack it up, they cleared out everything they could and needed. Packing up their light sources and tools before loading up the remote with as much as it could hold, they manhandled the rest out of the cave back to the jumper.

Their task was only just beginning back at the jumper, though. They not only had to get everything back inside, but also account for all the ore they collected while still leaving space for the human cargo. It was an experiment in space management for them all and before they knew it the thirty minute window had come and gone with no sign of their missing two members.

"Beginning to think we should go look for them, sir," Captain King called out from the cockpit. "They might have gotten lost down there."

"And what's to keep us from getting lost as well if they did?" Dr. Hill comment as she ran her sensors over the samples, making the best of the time by ranking the chunks based on purity. "You can always try the radio if you're worry about them."

"Anderson, Moore," Maj Marshal tapped his radio. "How long?"

 _"Sorry, sir,"_ Anderson's voice came back, sounding a bit short on breath even over the slightly frying connection. _"We took a wrong turn."_

"Told you," Capt King smiled softly from her side. Beside her, Devon chuckled silently.

 _"There is some weird green... stuff on the walls though..."_ Anderson continued. _"We are backtracking now. Just a few minutes more."_

"Don't take too long," Maj Marshal sighed. "We are burning daylight as it is."

 _"Moving as fast as we can, sir,"_ Anderson responded.

 _"I'm collecting a sample of the residue for the biologist to take a look at. They will like that,"_ Dr. Moore added.

Maj Marshal shook his head slowly. "Next time, remind me to give them a ball of string and some chalk."

 _"Sir, you might want to put the cloak up,"_ Samson's voice cut in suddenly. The last member of their team had been on watch duty. _"You've got two locals heading in your general direction. More ponies, if you'd believe it."_

Capt King, after a sharp nod from Marshal, took the recommendation, quickly hiding the jumper and its occupants from sight, the door closing. The Major's expression had turned stern. "Are you getting that, Anderson?"

 _"Copy that, sir, orders?"_

"Hold position for now," Marshal replied without much hesitation.

 _"They will be on top of you shortly,"_ Capt Samson reported tersely. _"Two unicorns, I think. They are smaller than the one in the city."_

"Foals?" Devon offered questionly.

"Keep out of sight and maintain position, Samson," Marshal ordered. "Anderson, Moore, keep in the caves." Both parties responded with affirmatives. "Everyone else, sit tight."

Tensions were high as they all waited, but in time the two ponies appeared. It was pretty clear Devon's guess of foals was spot on, their proportions clearly off from the adults back on Shangri-La, and their faces youthful, as alien as they were. They both lacked marking on their flanks as well. Even from inside the jumper it was easy to make out what they were saying.

"I really don't like this," the cream coated and slightly smaller of the pair said as they looked around fretfully, red mane bobbing. "Mother always said not to come here unless it was earth-blessing..."

"What mother doesn't know won't hurt," the other, having a matching mane colour but with a chocolate coat, said firmly. "We just want to see if we can get a blessing too!"

"But what if the mantis gets us?" the smaller one asked, a hint of fear in his voice. It was easier to make out their gender now that they were closer.

"Sir, they might walk right into the jumper," King murmured. "Just because we are cloaked doesn't mean we are out of phase."

"I heard the mantis isn't real. It's just something they made up to scare foals from wandering!"

"Like what we're doing?" he asked, even more fearfully than before. "I changed my mind! I-I don't mind not having a blessing! Can we go home now?"

"Skitter-leaf," the girl taunted, turning on him with an air of bravado.

"Yes!" the colt agreed, nodding, tears in his eyes. "I'm a skitter-leaf. A big nose one! Can we go now!?"

"The engines," Devon said quietly.

"No way! Not till we get a blessing!" she said firmly, stomping her hoof.

"What?" Marshal asked, eyes on the scene taking place outside.

"I just wanna go home," the colt wailed. "Before mother realizes we snuck away from morning chores!"

"You're not leaving me here, and I'm not leaving!" His sister grabbed his tail and started dragging him, heading directly towards the jumper.

Devon put a hand on the console, and for a brief moment the jumper responded to his impulses, the drive pods whining to life. The effect was immediate. Both foals started screaming and literally high tailed it out of the clearing the jumper was parked in. The others stared at Devon.

"Sorry sir," Devon swallowed. "I figured scaring them before they could find the jumper was the best bet. And they already seemed skittish… They were kids, sir."

 _"Sir, looks like the two of them are gone, ran all the way out of range,"_ Samson reported over the radio.

Maj Marshal nodded slowly. "Good thinking, lieutenant. Anderson, Moore, it seems we are in the clear. Continue outside. Jumper is waiting. Samson, keep up your watch in case they come back."

 _"Yes sir!"_

"Not so uninhabited after all," Dr. Hill commented.

Maj. Marshal sighed. "That's for Gen. Carter and Dr. Jackson to handle. We already have one first contact to deal with."

* * *

 _"From what we can tell, the internal body structure is remarkably simple, with a large portion of its cells being undifferentiated, and a good portion of the rest being pluripotent,"_ Dr. Heyman, head biologist for the expedition, reported. He was down in the new and still-being-organized biolabs, but was in contact over the city coms. Gen Carter, along with Dr. Jackson who had been dragged from his workstation where he was poring through the database, were both in the medical bay where Floyd found himself for the second time in less than a day. _"It not only makes them extremely adaptable, but also prolific, voracious and able to consume just about anything organic."_

"And what does that mean for us?" Dr. Jackson asked. "And what was with the swarm that attacked Hendrix?"

 _"Well, from what I could tell, these creatures are willing to consume anything organic, but will normally settle for non-living or plant matter. However..."_ his voice trailed off a bit. _"Apparently they undergo biochemical shifts depending on certain external stimuli and conditions. In this case: shifting from omnivorous to almost solely carnivorous."_

"Can you describe what they looked like again?" Gen Carter asked. "To compare it with the sample we have."

A bright flash filled the room, as Cadance and the other ponies appeared in the room.

"There was screaming, is everything alright?" Cadance asked, her eyes going a bit wide when she saw Floyd, who was sitting on a table as one of the medical staff stitched up his shoulder.

"They can teleport?" Dr. Jackson asked, staring at the trio of ponies as they swarmed around Floyd.

"Sorry…" Bon Bon gave a sheepish smile. "I tried to tell them that everything was fine but they just had to see for themselves..."

"It wouldn't be the first time we encountered a being able to teleport, Daniel," Gen Carter commented, keeping her cool despite the sudden arrival. "You used to be rather fond of it yourself."

"Right," Dr. Jackson said slowly, shaking his head. "Anyway. Remember when I said we don't know what surprises might be left in the city for us? Well, we found one!"

"What?" Cadance asked, leaving Floyd to suffer Lyra's cuddles. "Nothing too dangerous I hope."

"Dangerous? Yes," Dr. Jackson said, looking in Floyd's direction. "Too dangerous? We don't know."

"We can't be sure," Gen Carter added.

 _"I would hedge my bets on 'too dangerous',"_ Dr. Heyman spoke up. _"On their own an individual is not that much of a threat, for all their voracity, but combine that with their swarming and ability to asexually procreate once they have amassed enough biomatter by ejecting a mass of rapidly maturing totipotent cells? It's potentially as devastating as R-75 proved to be if not controlled."_

Dr. Jackson leaned closer to Gen Carter. "Ah, which one was that again?"

"Prior Bug," she whispered. "How's Hendrix?"

"Aside from needing a few stitches, he's fine," the nurse said. "Nothing strange in his blood work or in the traces of residue on his skin. No turning into a bug for him either."

"That sounds like…" Bon Bon looked up at Dr. Jackson. "These… things, are they small, big eyes, four insect wings?"

The human eyes in the room turned to her. Gen Carter was the one to break the silence. "I take it you've heard of these before?"

"They're called parasprites," Bon Bon started, nodding her head, "They normally inhabit the Everfree Forest but sometimes a few wander out. By themselves, they're harmless but if you feed them enough they puke out another one. They've been known to eat whole regions out of food. They aren't normally carnivorous unless they have no other food source."

"Oh Faust," Lyra pipped up, sitting in Floyd's lap, "I remember those things, it was a nightmare!"

 _"Great, so this galaxy has its own prior bugs, and they come with wings,"_ a new voice grumbled over the com. _"New galaxy, same old problems."_

 _"If you don't mind, General Carter,"_ Dr. Heyman took over, _"my team and I will focus on devising an insecticide that will work on them. At least the first of the two we have doesn't seem to have the carnivorous traits."_

"You don't have to hurt them!" Lyra hopped off Floyd's lap, looking at them in horror.

"Parasprites can easily be corralled by music," Bon Bon added helpfully, "Usually big band music."

"So, sorta like the Pied Piper?" Floyd guessed. "I think I could manage to do something like that."

"Oddly specific," Dr. Jackson murmured, softly enough that it could be mistaken as a comment not meant to be overheard. He clasped his hands together with a wry smile. "Okay, so do we have band music around?"

"We can lead them pretty much anywhere in the city with the intercoms," Gen. Carter contributed to the subject. "Assuming we can find a place to contain them. And music they would follow. I don't know about you, but I left my concert track back in Colorado."

"Well, it doesn't have to be big band," Cadance shook her head, "Any sort of music will do as long as it has a good rhythm. If you can get them into one location I can deal with them."

 _"Deal with them?"_ Dr. Heyman asked after his prolonged period merely listening. _"How do you propose to do that?"_

"Crystallize them," Cadance said simply. "Well, not really, but I can trap them in crystal until they can be released back into the Everfree."

"Really? You can do that?" Gen. Carter said, true interest sparking in her eyes. The nurse treating Floyd's wounds raised an eyebrow, having only heard secondhand about the so called magic of the ponies, teleportation entrance notwithstanding.

 _"I may have to protest the last part of that plan,"_ Dr. Heyman interjected.

"If you're worried about the parasprites, don't be." Bon Bon shook her head. "They'll go into hibernation very quickly, and judging by how long these ones have been here, I think it's safe to assume they can handle being encased in crystal."

 _"The crystallization is hardly, well, not my primary concern,"_ Dr. Heyman said to Bon Bon, a slight hesitation as he amended his initial response.

 _"No way you're letting those things back into the wild!"_ the second voice spoke up again. Heyman's voice could be heard indistinctly as he tried to shush her. _"I don't care if you've seen their type before, these buggers are a couple thousand years out of place with the rest of the ecosystem! Do you know what kind of- HEY!"_

 _"If you would,"_ Dr. Heyman said, apparently taking back control. _"Gunter is right though, if you can contain them, it's best we keep it at that, at least until we can safely determine how to dispose or relocate them."_

The three ponies just stood there silently before bursting out into laughter.

"T-the ecosystem hasn't changed in a thousand years! We ponies take great pride in the maintenance of our weather." Cadance giggled, putting a hoof to her mouth. "Honestly, I'd suggest not bringing that up with any pegasi, they'd be rather insulted with what you're implying."

 _"Weather smeather! I'm talking about introducing an unknown number of potential carnivores into an established biosphere!"_ Gunter was clearly not speaking into whatever they were using down in the lab, just talking loud enough to be heard. Nor did she seem to care about the weather comment, whether from indignation or the grapevine reports on what ponies did was her secret. _"Species displacement! Overpredation! Ancient diseases! Extinction of competitors! Cats and Dogs living together!"_

"Well, that's why we'd put them back into the Everfree," Lyra spoke up, "The only time we ever have problems with them is when one slips out. Do you have any idea what that place is like?" she asked, her eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Why don't you tell us, so we can stop yelling at each other." Floyd rolled his eyes.

"The weather does what it wants, the animals fend for themselves, it's a madhouse!" Lyra shuddered, as if those were the most horrible things ever.

"Oh, that's horrible," Dr. Jackson sassed dryly. His expression turned apologetic when Gen. Carter frowned at him. "Sorry. Now, biology and weather might not be my focus, but that sounds normal."

"As hard as it may be for you to believe, no other civilization, or planet that we've been to has that level of control over their environment," picked up.

"There was the touchstone on Madrona, but even… that..." Dr. Jackson found himself on the receiving end of another one of Gen. Carter's frowns. "Nevermind. Not important."

"That sounds... horrible. Not knowing if it's going to be a bright sunny day or a snow storm..." Lyra shuddered even more. "At least since Twilight came to Ponyville we've been able to get Winter Wrap-up done on time..."

"We're getting off topic," Bon Bon cut in, "There really isn't a problem releasing them back into the Everfree considering what else lives there. Manticores, cragadiles, timberwolves... and I think an Ursa Major and Minor live there..."

Gunter snorted in derision, loud enough to be picked up. _"Someone clearly knows nothing about biodiversity."_

"Dr. Gunter! That's enough," Gen. Carter said firmly.

 _"General! They eve-"_

"I said enough. For now, we will focus on corralling and containing the parasprites, as they call them." Gen. Carter took control of the situation. "What we do with them will be decided later. Heyman, I'd like you and your team to continue your work. Call it a plan B. In the meantime, I'll see if the control room can find a way to determine how many of these we have to deal with. Dr. Jackson, I'd appreciate if you could ensure all of our teams are back in secured areas."

 _"Yes ma'am,"_ Dr. Heyman acknowledged.

"I can see if they found any good places to direct them to as well," Dr. Jackson added.

merely nodded. "Mr. Hendrix, I want you out of danger for this. You've already gotten yourself wounded. If you are up to it, I'd like to put you and Lyra in touch with our communications team and see if we can't find something that might bait our little bug problem."

"I can do that... there's bound to be something in the thousand songs I brought with me..." he muttered something to himself in a language other than English as the nurse dabbed a cotton swab on his wound.

"Good," Gen. Carter responded. "I know it's late, people, and we already had a fairly long day, but it doesn't seem as if it's ending yet."

"Just tell me where you want me." Cadance nodded, a determined look on her face.


	6. Crosscurrent Part 2

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Crosscurrent [part 2]

The city was under a self-maintained lockdown. General Carter's voice was heard throughout, calmly requesting that expedition members comply to the best of their abilities, remaining in whatever rooms they may have been in. Hallways were to be kept clear of personnel and use of them was limited to specific teams and members, outside of emergencies. While part of the reasoning was to ensure the safety of expedition members, considering Hendrix's less than fortunate encounter, it was also to make the task of the control room technicians as easy as possible.

The city-wide lifesigns detector hadn't been activated yet, so while that project was unexpectedly bumped up the work queue, they were trying to determine alternate means of locating and hopefully getting a count of how many parasprites they were dealing with. Daniel and a few others were gathered in the large room he had claimed as his office and research space, including Thorne and his team, who were rolled out of bed for the task. Daniel had likely chosen the room due to the banks of shelves built into one wall, after poring over images of the city floor plans, debating the pros and cons of various rooms.

However, the team experiencing the most success would likely be the communications group. Composed of a mix of civilian military contractors and SG staff, their original mandate was to document and record most things, placing them more as a support team for the expedtion. An encounter that called for them to play a near primary role within a day of arrival certainly wasn't expected. As such, technicians were hustling around the room to get the interface between Earth technology and the Ancient systems running even as they searched for an appropriate beat to tempt the parasprites; Lyra joined them, as she was the closest thing to a resident expert they had.

"The 'Imperial March' would be weirdly fitting," Ronald Price, a military non-commissioned officer, commented as he flipped through his options. "But I doubt it's 'upbeat' enough for that, by what our unicorn friend described. Maybe some Weird Al... or Polish polka..."

"Well, Cadance said 'good rhythm,' not upbeat specifically..." Floyd muttered, going through his list. "Lavender Town?"

"Lavender Town?" Lyra asked, looking over his shoulder. "What kind of song is that?"

"Well…" Floyd hit play on his laptop, letting the old eight bit music fill the air. Lyra made a few uncomfortable faces. before letting out a cry, covering her ears.

"Make it stop!" she whimpered, shooting Floyd a pleading look. He quickly cut the audio, looking at Lyra in horror.

"Okay, make a note of that, ponies suffer from Lavender Town Syndrome." Floyd gulped, looking down at Lyra. "Y-you ok...?"

"Y-yeah I'm okay…" Lyra rubbed her ears, giving her head a shake. "I didn't think music could hurt so much... what horrible monster made that!?"

"Let's just move on…" Floyd turned back to his computer. "Any other ideas?"

"If I understand it right, these parasprites were attracted to the melody and beat of the song?" Krysiline Malaki asked, her stylus dancing between her fingers. The Filipino woman had the looks that placed her firmly in the 'exotic beauty' category.

"Uh huh," Lyra nodded, bouncing back quickly from her music-induced pain. "Pinkie Pie strapped a bunch of instruments to herself and led them out of town like a one-pony band.

"So what we really need is something with a solid underscore," she continued. "Something simple and catchy. The type of song that makes someone tap their feet and want to dance."

"Da Funk?" Floyd asked, looking over his shoulder. "I mostly have metal songs on here and I doubt that would end well."

"They might get overexcited or something," Jace Coleman, a seasoned military reporter who never quite grew up, agreed. "I can't believe they fed them. Did no one watch Star Trek? Gremlins? Placid Lake?"

"At least they didn't try to eat you," Floyd glared slightly. "We need to pick something quickly before we resort to the normal human way of solving a problem."

"Throwing wads of money at it?" Ronald quipped. "Oh, wait, that's the North American way. Okay... slow enough pace, chipper enough beat... this should not be this hard. Maybe a Disney song?"

Floyd paused, tapping his chin. "Moonlight Sonata?"

"Classical music, slow and steady beat with a distinct vigour." Malaski mulled it over.

"Classical?" Lyra asked

Jace started laughing, kicking his chair away from the shared table. "It's like Ride of the Valkyries and the military. Worth a shot." He swiveled in his chair, tapping on the taunt mesh rests. "How is that marriage thingie coming? Can we do a sound check?"

"The _interface dock_ is almost ready," the strained voice of the technician, who had been on the wrong end of Jace's banter for too long, responded.

"Yeah; that marriage thingie," Jace repeated with a shameless smirk. "Five minutes sounds good?"

"This isn't exactly plugging an amplifier into a speaker," she said, popping up to fiddle with a few more cables, then slotting a crystal headed optic cable into the base. A green light blinked on the black bar set in the center of the table. "And it's ready…"

"Ah, the feeling of uselessness," Floyd joked. "Reminds me of breakfast with my parents."

She clipped a spare cable into the tablet she pulled from its velcro pouch on her back and checked a few things. "The interface dock is working fine, though it's not the permanent one for this station. You can plug all your stuff in regularly, it will do the necessary conversions, though there will be a slight lag. Rush job, and all that. Control will still have to patch you into which part of the coms you need." She gestured vaguely to the large Ancient console standing in the corner, its crystal keys lit but not active. "We didn't have nearly enough time to get your full access running."

"Okay..." Floyd got up, moving over to the console. He grabbed his laptop, swearing to himself in his native language. "Alright... I think I got it right..." He pulled his earpiece, an upgrade from his radio, out of his pocket, shoving it in his ear. "Uh, control, we're ready on our end."

 _"Good to hear. We are still having a bit of trouble tracking these things. They don't show up on scanners while hibernating, and they are too small to get a proper fix on with regular sensors."_

 _"We are going to try a small scale test,"_ General Carter took over. _"We identified a small cluster of them on the sixty-seventh floor, so we will see how well our Pied Piper idea works."_

"I have our song ready, a bit of classical to liven up the place. Just gotta hit play." Floyd smiled to himself. "Let's just hope it doesn't open any hidden passages."

There was a pause. As if in response to an unasked question, Dr. Jackson, who had apparently been patched into the connection, spoke up. _"I'm reasonably sure Janus never visited this city. He was exactly the type of the person they disliked."_

* * *

"Aha!" Luna's voice came through the library, getting Shining Armor's attention. He had in no way been falling asleep, no way at all. He got up, stretching his limbs out, trying to get his blood flowing again.

"Did you find something?" Celestia asked, having teleported to Luna's side, a desperate look in her eyes. Luna, who had been going through the oldest tomes in the library, the ones all the way in the back, just rolled her eyes.

"No, Celestia, I didn't find anything. I just shouted 'aha' because I was bored." She shook her head. "Yes I found something. A map!" She used her lap, spreading out said map. It was old, showing the Empire at the height of its power.

"Is that..." Shining Armor peered around Luna, a yawn half smothered behind a hoof even as his eyes widened, "is that our empire? What it used to be, I mean?"

"Yes it is, at its very peak... but... that is not why this is important, this is." She moved her hoof up and left. "Behold Shining Armor, we are the first ponies since the Great Exodus to view our homeland in any form."

Indeed, displayed prominently were the lands of the tribes, three nations clustered together. Next to them was what appeared to be a great inland sea... with a city floating on its waters.

"This doesn't make any sense, that... doesn't look like the," Shining paused and changed his wording. "Actually, that city in the water looks a lot _like_ the Crystal Palace..."

"It should," Celestia murmured. Her expression was torn between horror and distraught. "This castle was made to honour that city, the home of the teachers. How... how could I have let myself forget the Teachers? Filly at the time or no..."

"I believe we have Discord to thank for that." Luna snorted, a look of anger on her face. "That cur stole our own history from us. But this does raise the question... why have they been quiet until now?"

Celestia had closed her eyes, in deep thought, thinking back to long forgotten years. Shining Armor looked between the two sisters in confusion. "Pri- ah, Luna, I'm lost. Who are the Teachers?"

"They, my dear nephew, are the most important race to ever walk the lands of our world. They came from the stars and found ponykind when we were barely more than animals. It was they who shaped us into what we are, and to think... they have been forgotten for so long..." Luna said, gazing at the city in lament.

"The Teachers were rare. Ponies knew of them; in truth, most of the races of our world did, but by the time I was old enough to warrant their tutelage, their numbers were... significantly diminished," Celestia recalled. Things were coming back to her from the haze of her long forgotten past. "I... Luna was one of the last ponies taught by the Teachers directly before they vanished, and..." Celestia looked down at the map and ran a hoof over the map, as if afraid to touch it. "The tensions between tribes began not many years after and the windigos started to consume the homeland."

"I... believe they called their city Shangri-La..." Luna looked up from the map. "It is extremely possible that they have dear Cadance."

Shining Armor switched to 'Captain of the Guard' mode. It was either that or have his head spin from the heavy 'prefounding of our nations' knowledge being tossed around. "Okay, so there is a city that predates the Hearth's Warming stories," he left the 'and our immortal princess' part unsaid but implied, "and you think Cadance might be there? Okay. But why?"

"Amore once told us that the Heart had been a gift from the Teachers, something to protect the city. The Heart took her and Shangri-La is the only possibility." Luna flexed her wings, shifting on her hooves. "Sister, do remind me why we never sent expeditions into the North to recover anything of value?"

"Before we took the throne, ponies feared the frozen lands and the possibility of the windigos still lurking." Celestia sighed, her wings drooping heavily. "When we did take the throne, we had too much on our hooves, and the ponies that did venture there? Past the Crystal Empire and into the frozen north? Too many died."

"I believe we have to change that." Luna gestured around them. "A piece of our history has returned to us. We cannot allow ourselves to live in ignorance. Once we reclaim Cadance I will personally lead an expedition. Maybe we can reclaim that which was lost to us..."

"We still need to discover how," Celestia sighed.

* * *

The first chords of the sonata's first movements echoed through the halls of the sixty-seventh floor. In the control room, all eyes were fixed on the screen, watching the simple two dimensional representation of the floor's layout and the cluster of dots that marked the parasprites. Everyone was waiting for any signs of movement, as were more seeing the same image down in the media office.

"So," Jace asked when the dots barely twitched. "How long should this take?"

"It worked pretty fast when Pinkie started playing," Lyra admitted.

 _"Mr. Hendrix, you're using Moonlight Sonata,"_ General Carter spoke up. _"Could you progress it to the 2nd movement?"_

"You got it!" Floyd tapped at his laptop, skipping forward in the song. "That doin' anything?"

 _"I think it is,"_ General Carter replied. Her next statement was to someone in the control room rather than to the media group. _"Narrow the display to the room."_

The display shifted as whoever was in control zoomed it in. The dots became more distinct, making it clear there was quite the number of them in the room. But more important was the fact that they were starting to respond, the entire mass starting to shift from side to side.

 _"It looks like it's working."_ There was a smile evident in General Carter's voice. _"I think we actually got something on the first try. Hendrix, put this on a loop for me."_

"You got it." He tapped away again. "We're good to go, General. Let us know when you need us for anything else." He turned back to the others. "So, anyone got any ideas how to pass the time? Stories maybe?"

"What kinda stories?" Lyra asked, sitting next to him, an eager look on her face.

"Well, I got a few uh... stories about questionable behavior." Floyd coughed, seeming to confuse Lyra. "Like uh... that time me and my cousin made moonshine…"

"Shouldn't we, you know, pay attention?" Roland asked, giving the younger man an annoyed look.

"There is no reason we can't have a conversation and be on alert," Floyd argued, looking back at his laptop. "Besides... the silence would kill me…"

"We did our job. Found a song that works," Jace reclined in his chair. "The rest is up to the ones in the control room. Right? Right."

"Hopefully." Floyd nodded, leaning back in his chair. "So. Stories? I know I got a few good ones… and Lyra has to know a good story or two."

"Oh, do I have stories!" Lyra grinned. "Like that time Pinkie Pie cloned herself or when Twilight went crazy and made the whole town fight over a doll!" Floyd blinked, giving the others a look.

"Those are more friends of yours, right?" Jace asked.

"Yup!" Lyra beamed. "Pinkie Pie is the town's party pony and Twilight is the librarian. We went to magic school together!"

"Magic School," Jace broke out in laughter. "The more I hear about this place the wilder it gets. Damn, I thought the Nox were bad!"

"You met the Nox?" Krisline remarked. "Only ever read the few mission reports on them."

"Hey!" Lyra snorted, looking a big indignant. "It took a lot of time and effort to get into Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns! Do you know how hard it is for a foal to learn magic?"

"Hard, I take it?" Floyd asked, trying to soothe the mare.

"Well, yeah, it was hard, and I'm not even that good at it." Lyra nodded, taking a breath to calm herself.

"Still, it's something you choose to pursue?" Krisline asked.

"A unicorn's skill level is tied directly to their cutie mark. Some, like me, have finer control of their telekinesis while others, like Twilight have magic _as_ their special talent! She's even Princess Celestia's personal student!"

"Gonna take more than just a one day gossip primer before I get what that means," Jace admitted. "But it still sounds impressive."

"They said Princess is your highest authority?" Ronald asked on the tail of Jace's comment. "She takes students? I'm trying to imagine the president having a student. It's an odd image."

"Well, Twilight did hatch a dragon egg and turn the baby into a giant," Lyra recounted, tapping her chin. "All I did was play a harp. Y'know… I wonder if Luna has a student..."

"Dragon?" Jace asked before bursting out in a fresh peal of laughter. "God! This place keeps getting better and better!"

"Hey! Spike's a friend of mine!" Lyra snorted, sounding much like a horse. "It's not nice to laugh at people!"

"Idiot," Floyd scolded, socking Jace in the arm. "Stop pissing off our guest!" Lyra huffed, turning away, looking rather offended.

"I've been in the SG program for a while. The boys and girls in communications don't see action much, but we hear about it a lot," Jace grinned on, unashamed and unabashed. "Most of it is some of the wildest stories you'll hear. But this place has been blowing everything out of the water. Talking ponies, magic, dragons...

"This is pretty much the only time all the weird stuff is actually the weird stuff, not just someone with enough tech and more than enough ego blowing it out their ass," Jace laughed again. "And to think I was going to stay at Homeworld Command for a shot at being part of the big one!"

"You'd think being in public relations would have made you better at dealing with people," Ronald muttered neutrally.

"I save it for official things," Jace smiled, watching the screens through the corner of his eye. "I'm off the PR clock."

"You do realize that she's like a princess's best friend right?" Floyd asked, giving Jace a bit of a glare.

"I've been part of details for diplomats, generals, liaisons and even one of the president's visits. Most of them appreciate the more casual and human approach when they aren't working." Jace leaned back again. "You get stiff playing the stiff all the time. Plus, I heard the princess insists on casual tones too."

"Still, apologize to the… mare…" Floyd insisted, gesturing to the still pouting Lyra. "Please? Ponies seem to take friendship very seriously."

"Seriously?" Lyra spoke, though it was easy to tell that she wasn't very happy. "Friendship is the most important thing ever!"

"See?" Floyd turned back to Jace. "You gonna be that guy who started an intergalactic incident?"

"I should apologize for finding this planet great?" Jace asked with a smug smirk.

"What?" Ronald questioned.

"Should I apologize for finding this planet great and thinking it's one of the best we've hit for a while?" Jace repeated with the same smug expression.

"So… you weren't laughing at my friend?" Lyra asked slowly, giving Jace a cautious look.

"God, no. I'd love to meet a dragon," Jace sighed. "The only one we, as in the SGC we, came across was another ancient hologram. A very realistic one that spat fire, caused a cave in and swallowed a few blocks of C4, according to the reports, on the other end of a literal time dilation maze, but still a hologram."

"Well then… I'm sorry I overreacted," Lyra moved over, giving Jace a hug. She pulled away with a bright smile, wagging her tail much like a dog.

"And… we got way off topic," Floyd coughed a bit. "So! Who wants to hear about that time and my cousin made moonshine and ended up burning a barn down? Or that time I saw a yee naaldlooshii…" Floyd shuddered a little, the memory sending a shiver down his spine.

* * *

Cadance took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She knew she could do this, crystallizing parasprites wasn't that hard… except… if something went wrong the swarm would most likely eat them.

Cadance and two human security officers were stationed on a balcony that overlooked the main space of the large chamber the humans had directed her to, several body lengths up. She tried not to let her nervousness for what was coming show. The plan was to direct the parasprites into the room through the larger entranceway on the far side where they would hopefully gather around the stand of loudspeakers they set up. That way, they would be in a large cluster to make it easy for her to target them en masse. There were a few grumbles about the risk of losing the speakers since they didn't have many of them, but those voices had been quickly hushed.

Her guards seemed at ease, their weapons, guns she reminded herself, held loosely before them and their expressions mostly detached. She tried to mimic them. Afterall, if anything went wrong, there was the door just a few hooves away they could duck out through.

"Nervous, Princess?" the human on the left asked, catching Cadance as she glanced at the door for any needed emergency retreat.

"Only a little," Cadance admitted as she tried to recall the name. Female with the short cut mane, narrow eyes and pale skin and an accent that reminded her of the neighponese... Kim! There were so many new and strange names in the short while they had been there. Of course, she noticed the name sewn on the uniform just after remembering it.

"You were the one to suggest the plan," Kim continued.

"Only a bit of jitters," Cadance insisted with a little laugh. She called on her best princess poise, burying her jitters as best she could. "I've faced worse than a few parasprites."

"I've faced off with replicators. These things sound close enough to creep me out," the male security officer commented casually. Bryson was his name. He adjusted his hold on his gun. "Considering the final count is well into the thousands, I think a little nervousness is called for. Are you sure you can handle this, princess? We are in a city ship. They could, I don't know, seal this room and pump out all the air or something."

"I'm sure." While she hadn't quite mastered the reassuring tone Aunt Celestia used, Cadance was still confident in her own. Even if her wings did tremble slightly.

 _"Princess Cadance, Sargent Bryson, Lieutenant Kim, are you ready?"_ General Carter called over the radio. _"We are about to send them your way."_

"We are!" Cadance reported without hesitation.

"Confirmed," Sergeant Bryson added as Lieutenant Kim pulled out a life signs detector instead. "We are already in position and ready."

 _"Fingers crossed then,"_ the General said in a parting comment. Cadance took a deep breath, charging her horn up, the hallway becoming bathed in a light blue color. At the same time the loudspeakers came to life, chords of an instrumental piece pouring out from it as the doors opened.

Cadance waited for the parasprites to flitter out of the room before firing a beam of energy at them. As soon as it made contact, a wave of crystal started to spread over them, and in mere seconds, the swarm was encased in a shimmering indigo prison.

"Well, that worked out," Cadance smiled, letting the glow fade from her horn. "That was all of them, right?" she turned to her two companions, both sporting rather shocked looks on their faces. She couldn't help but giggle, shaking her head. "I'm going to get a lot of these reactions, aren't I?"

Bryson gave her a numb nod before he found his voice. "And you were nervous?"

"Hey, those may or may not be carnivorous parasprites. I'm immortal, not invincible." Cadance rolled her eyes, looking at the parasites, whose eyes were still moving, though they were unable to really move. "Those were all of them? I didn't miss away?" She carefully moved around the Crystal, peering into the room.

 _"That's all of them. At least, we're not detecting any more,"_ Carter radioed in, allowing Cadance to fully relax.

"Only a few thousand more left to go!" Cadance chuckled, letting out a small groan. "At least it's not Sombra..." she grumbled, ruffling her wings.

" _We're going to lead you to the other swarms,"_ Carter spoke again, " _Whenever you're ready princess."_

Cadance sighed, taking in a breath to prepare herself. "Lead the way."

* * *

"I do believe this is Shangri-La," Celestia muttered, unflinching as the ceaseless blizzard tried desperately to subdue her. Luckily, it was fairly easy for the dawnbringer to keep herself comfortably warm. Luna was less lucky.

"And I had hoped the city was still intact…" Luna frowned, looking across the tundra. To the untrained eye, the land before them was filled with nothing more than a collection of oddly shaped ice pillars. The sisters knew better of course, each of those pillars was a building, a building taller than anything Halla had at the moment.

"It might just be the outside," Celestia countered, her eyes moving up to the massive spire in the center of the city, "It's entirely possible that the interior remains habitable."

"Possible," Luna stressed, pulling her winter gear ever tighter around her. "Though, how exactly do you propose we get in?"

Celestia smirked. "I have an idea." Without further conversation, she spread her wings, flying over to the spire. She landed gracefully, tapping her hoof against the ice. It had to be several meters deep, which would make her plan slightly harder.

"You know I hate it when you don't tell me what you're planning." Luna frowned, quickly landing next to her.

"Luna, do you remember where the doors were?" Celestia asked, trotting around the area, poking at the ice every so often.

"As if I would remember such a detail," Luna rolled her eyes. "You might as well just melt the entire roof."

"Well then," Celestia smirked, her horn starting to light up. Her mane and tail changed from their normal colors to a deep red and orange. "Let's turn up the heat, shall we?" Luna just groaned, facehoofing.

"Whatever you say, sister." Luna spread her wings, migrating to one of the nearby buildings. It was going to get very hot very quickly. "I pray that Cadance is safe…" she whispered, watching as Celestia ignited herself, a lone flame against the endless cold.


	7. Crosscurrent Part 3

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Crosscurrent [Part 3]

"That's the last of the small pockets ma'am," Wilson spoke up, looking to the general, who had taken to sorting out other pressing matters, "I'll do one last scan but I think the tower's clear."

"Excellent," Carter replied, nodding her thanks. She reached up, tapping her earpiece. "This is General Carter. It looks like you can take a breather, Princess, we think that was the last of the small groups."

 _"That's a relief,"_ Cadance's voice spoke over the radio, relief evident in her tone.

"We're going to start scanning the unexplored portions of the city," Carter informed her, looking at the image of Shangri-La on one of the larger screens. "Don't want any more nasty surprises. Lieutenant, you can return to the control room."

 _"Right away, General,"_ Lieutenant Kim began to respond, though a sudden rush of noise drowned out the rest of her reply. Carter turned, watching as the stargate started to light up.

"Wilson, raise the shield."

Wilson didn't need to be told twice, activating the gate's shield just as the wormhole connected. "We're receiving Major Marshal's IDC."

Carter let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "Let them through." Wilson nodded, deactivating the shield.

"Uh ma'am, we have a problem." Wilson frowned, turning her attention to a flashing screen.

Carter barely contained a groan, starting to feel the beginnings of a headache. "What is it, Wilson?"

"We're detecting a major buildup of heat just above the jumper bay's outer door." Wilson paused, studying the screen intently.

"What?" Carter asked, moving to look for herself.

"The ice covering the outer doors is melting," Wilson repeated, a frown growing across her face.

"Which would mean we could use the bay, if the doors weren't damaged," Carter muttered, looking up as the offworld team came through the gate, which promptly deactivated behind them. "Wilson, send a message to Iwu, I want a team working on the outer bay doors as soon as possible."

"Right away."

"Bowers," Carter tapped her earpiece, switching to the colonel's frequency, "I want two security teams in the jumper bay."

 _"Ma'am?"_ came Bowers' confused reply.

"It looks like we may be getting some more uninvited guests," Carter informed him.

 _"I'll take care of it,"_ Bowers acknowledged, beginning to pass out orders.

"Major Marshal," Carter turned turned her attention to the Puddle Jumper as it moved up into the bay. "I want that jumper unloaded and the civilians evacuated from the bay in the next ten minutes."

"Right away, General," Marshal responded.

At least they could be prepared this time. She registered a flash in the corner of her eye, gazing over to see Cadance had teleported in, though judging by the looks her guards were sporting, they hadn't expected it.

"Sorry," Cadance spoke up sheepishly, looking between her companions, "I didn't want to walk."

"It's alright, Princess," Lieutenant Kim assured her, straightening up.

"Sergeant, Lieutenant," Carter cut in, getting their attention, "I want you to go up to the jumper bay and assist Major Marshal."

"Yes ma'am!" They saluted before moving out of sight.

"Samantha, is something going on?" Cadance asked with a frown. "Please tell me it's not more parasprites."

"Something is melting the ice covering the jumper bay," Carter explained, glancing upward, "Do you know of anything that could do that?"

Cadance thought for a moment before her face lit up. "That has to be Celestia!"

"Let's suppose it is her," Carter gestured for her to come over. "How is she putting out enough heat to do it?"

Cadance giggled, bringing a hoof to her mouth. "My aunt is directly connected to the sun, this weather is just a light flurry to her." Cadance got serious, dropping her hoof. "Though, I've never actually seen her go all out, I can only imagine it's terrifying."

"Connected to the sun how?" It wouldn't be the first time a ruler presented themselves as having some supernatural power, hell that's all the Goa'uld did. Though, there was always the possibility that said boasting was true.

"That, my friend, is something you should see for yourself." Cadance smiled mischievously.

"If it is her," Carter began, frowning down at her, "would she see us as a threat?"

"I'm not going to say that the situation looks all that good," Cadance admitted sheepishly, "but I think if I'm there, things will calm down."

"Right," Carter noded, a plan forming in her head. "Are you good with confined spaces?"

* * *

"And you never got caught?" Roland asked, giving Floyd a skeptical look.

"Nope," Floyd shook his head, looking up from his laptop. "Everyone assumed a coyote had just knocked over a lantern or something."

"How did you get into the program, again?" Krysiline glanced at him, a frown on her face.

"Dad's a suit," Floyd explained, stretching out. "He works with the pentagon or something. Personally, I think he got me the job as an apology."

"What's a suit?" Lyra asked from nearby, looking at some pictures of Earth with Jace.

"It's a set of clothes," Floyd responded, making Lyra roll her eyes.

"I know that. I was asking why you called your dad a suit."

"Oh, that." Floyd leaned back. "It's just what you call people that work for the government."

"I... don't get it," Lyra admitted, frowning.

"People employed by the government normally dress very formally, usually in some type of suit," Roland answered. "You know, I'm actually surprised you know what clothes are."

"Ponies wear clothes," Lyra giggled. "Although we normally only wear them during special occasions, or for protection. It really just depends on the pony, I suppose…"

"I dunno, I kinda figured they'd be too hot to wear, I mean, with the fur and all," Floyd gestured, scratching his neck.

"Sometimes it can be," Lyra nodded before looking at Floyd curiously. "Hey Floyd, what was that thing you said before?"

"That's... not very specific."

"The, uh…" she tapped her hoof a few times. "You said 'yee something.' I don't know of any word like it in modern Equestrian."

"That's because the language we're conversing with right now is English," Floyd explained, absentmindedly toying with his amulet. "Yee naaldlooshii is a word in Diné bizaad, the language of the Navajo."

"You're Navajo?" Krysiline asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"One half," Floyd nodded. "I spent a lot of time in the nation, normally summers."

"That's nice and all but it doesn't exactly answer my question," Lyra complained, poking Floyd's leg.

"Geez, relax will ya?" Floyd shook his head. "The most direct translation is 'skin walker.'"

"That... doesn't sound so nice."

"It's not. Most Navajo don't talk about them. Skin walkers are people who have gained the power to turn into an animal by wearing its skin."

"Humans can do that?" Lyra made a face, the thought being utterly horrid.

"No," Roland assured her, "It's just a belief, humans can't just turn into animals."

"Yeah, well, I saw one," Floyd insisted, scowling.

"Let's just talk about something else shall we?" Krysiline suggested, doing her best to defuse the situation.

Salvation came when General Carter's voice crackled over Floyd's earpiece.

 _"Hendrix, come in."_

Floyd didn't respond right away, taking in a deep breath before letting it out. "Yes, General?" he asked, turning away from the others.

 _"I need you and Lyra up in the Jumper Bay,"_ Carter instructed. _"Bring your camera."_

"Copy that." Floyd got up, peering at the mare. "Come on Ly, the General wants us." He stopped, looking at Jace, the older man having grabbed his arm.

"Don't let things like that get to you, yeah?" Jace encouraged, releasing his arm. "Nothing's impossible right?"

"Thanks." Floyd managed a smile before making his way out of the room.

* * *

As the steam cleared, Luna raised her eyebrow at the sight of the tower. Instead of just having a normal door on the roof, the doors were set down into a short shaft and took up the entirety of the roof. Not to mention the shield was up, though unlike its normal dome, it seemed to be acting as a second skin to the city.

"I don't understand," Celestia muttered, frowning at the doors while the shield reacted to each step they took, "Why would they leave the shield in such a way?"

"It seems that they didn't want anyone to get in," Luna commented, adjusting her gear, "What's your next bright idea?"

"Just... let me think," Celestia huffed, trotting away from her. What was she supposed to do now? Shangri-La's shield was supposed to be impenetrable, and she didn't exactly want to just start blasting at it.

"We're not going to get anywhere just standing here, perhaps there is another way in?"

"No," Celestia shook her head quickly. "If the shield is up, we won't be able to get in." Luna said nothing, just giving her a flat look. "Don't give me that look, Luna, I had no way of knowing that the shield was active."

"Tell me sister, do you actually plan things out, or do you just make it up as you go along and hope for the best?"

"Luna, is this really the best time for this?" Celestia scowled, returning Luna's flat look.

"Celestia, you're the one who dropped everything and decided to just come here," Luna countered.

"It would have taken us months to mount a proper expedition!" Celestia protested, fluffing her wings in agitation. "Cadance can't wait that long."

"I know that, what I'm saying is that you dragged us up here without any plan whatsoever, like usual." Luna snorted, fluffing her own wings. Celestia opened her mouth to reply, only to stop as the doors started to slowly slide open under the shield. They both lit their horns, peering down into the darkness.

After a few tense moments, one of the Teachers' flying craft rose up, passing through the shield. Celestia gazed through the window, freezing up momentarily. Memories flooded her mind as she stared at the pilot, obviously one of the teachers.

"Auntie!" Cadance's voice cut through the tide, drawing Celestia back to the real world.

"Cadance!" she shouted, nearly reaching the Royal Voice. The younger alicorn had appeared next to the Teacher, waving at them.

"I'll be right out," Cadance spoke, her voice projected by the machine. She disappeared from sight, reappearing from the opposite end. Only once had Celestia ever felt this kind of relief, the day Luna returned to her. Celestia darted over, pulling Cadance into a bone crushing hug. "Ack! C-can't breathe..." Cadance wheezed, squirming futilely.

"Sister," Luna spoke softly, putting her hoof on Celestia's shoulder, "If you do not release Cadance then our reunion will be very short lived."

"O-oh yes, of course," Celestia muttered quickly, releasing Cadance. "I apologize Cadance, my emotions got hold of me..."

"I-it's fine, Auntie..." Cadance coughed, rubbing her throat.

"Are you well, Cadance?" Luna asked, looking her niece over. "They treated you well, yes?"

Cadance took a long deep breath before responding, "Yes, Luna, I'm fine. I've been treated very well." She held up her hoof, cutting them off preemptively. "I'll explain everything once we're inside. I'm not exactly dressed for the weather."

"And we are supposed to climb into..." Celestia frowned, trying to recall the name of the vehicle. Her hazy memories were starting to become rather bothersome.

"General Carter called it a 'Puddle Jumper,'" Cadance quoted, gesturing to it. "Now come on, I'm freezing." Celestia and Luna exchanged looks, taking a moment before following Cadance inside of the Jumper. It took them a few minutes to get inside, as Celestia was slightly too tall to stand normally, forcing her to lay on her belly, with the other alicorns taking a bench to either side of her.

The hatch behind them closed, and the Jumper descended back into the tower.

"Cadance, I must ask about the people of this city," Celestia spoke, making sure the pilot couldn't hear. "A general is not something the Teachers would have."

"Well..." Cadance bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. A bit of panic shot through the young monarch, a misphrased statement could seriously hamper any potential diplomatic relations Cadance had already begun. "The Teachers... are gone."

"What?" Luna asked first, her eyes narrowing as a very disturbing look began growing on her face.

"Okay, hold it," Cadance quickly shook her head. "They've been gone since before the Great Exodus. Some kind of sickness took them. They put the shield up around the city so it wouldn't get out, so it wouldn't infect _us._ "

"Then, why does that one look like them?" Celestia asked, her tone and expression unreadable.

"They call themselves humans," Cadance began, recalling what Dr. Jackson had told her the day before. "They come from a planet called Earth, a galaxy away from us. They are, more or less, the Teachers' descendants."

"We shall see," Luna snorted, her expression having softened slightly.

"Please, just give them a chance, they've been nothing but kind to me and the others," Cadance pleaded, looking between them. The Jumper rocked a bit, signaling their arrival.

"One moment please, and we can all get out of this tuna can," their pilot joked, lowering the rear hatch. Instead of going through the time consuming process of getting out one at a time by walking backwards out of the hatch, the three alicorns took the most logical course of action – teleporting out.

Luna let out a small gasp as she took in the surroundings, this time being the one assaulted by old memories. Glimpses of figures and the echoes of words long forgotten washed over her. It was Celestia who threw her a life saver.

"Are you General Carter?" the eldest princess asked, gazing intently at the human closest to them.

"That would be correct," General Carter nodded. "I take it you are Princess Celestia?"

"That would also be correct, General." Celestia gazed behind the General, noting the dozen or so guards behind the general. Off to the side were Lyra Heartstrings and... Agent Sweetie Drops. The two locked eyes for a moment, with Sweetie Drops giving a barely noticeable nod. Next to them stood another human, holding what looked like a camera. Her eyes stopped, resting on the amulet hanging from his neck.

"Where did you get that?" Celestia asked, causing the human to jump.

"Uh... I got it off a skeleton..." he admitted, reaching up to touch it. Celestia raised her eyebrow, watching as it glowed ever so softly.

"Please, Your Majesties," Carter spoke, getting their attention, "we have a lot to talk about, and I imagine we'd all like to do it somewhere more comfortable. If you'll please follow me, my colleague Dr. Jackson should have the conference room set up." She turned, quickly moving out of the room.

* * *

"Were you expecting them to be so... tall?" Daniel whispered, leaning ever so closer to Carter. The ponies in question were seated across from them, more or less grilling Bon Bon and Lyra about their time in the city. Floyd was seated on the human side with his camera set up and rolling.

"Honestly, I was expecting them both to be around Cadance's size," Carter replied. Celestia was the taller of the pair, standing at at least six and a half feet, horn included, while Luna was slightly taller than Cadance. Both, for reasons unknown, had flowing manes and tails, which moved in a non-existent wind. Luna's was more on the ethereal side, her mane like the night sky.

"I would like to thank you," Celestia spoke, her voice soft and reserved. "My subjects tell me that you have treated them very well."

"I won't lie, your Majesty," Carter replied, meeting the alicorn's gaze, "we weren't exactly prepared for their appearance, but our people would much rather have friends than enemies."

"I feel much the same way," Celestia agreed with a nod. "From what Cadance as told us, it seems you intend to claim the city for your own."

"Thieves!" Luna snorted, flaring her wings out. "What right do you have to—"

"Luna, calm yourself," Celestia chided, sipping at the tea their hosts had graciously provided. "Such outbursts are ill-suited for talks such as these."

"Sister, they wish to—!"

"Luna," Celestia frowned, her magic clamping Luna's mouth shut, "this is not the Empire. There is no dictator to slay. If it is true that the Teachers died out, that would mean that the city has sat here, unclaimed. Equestria has no land here, and if they intend to claim it, we have no legal right to stop them."

"About that," Daniel cleared his throat, "do you know exactly where we are?"

"Of course," Celestia nodded, releasing a clearly angry Luna. "We are in a region known as the Frozen North." Celestia levitated a map out of Luna's gear, laying it out in front of the humans. "It was once the pony homeland, but it has since become an uninhabitable frozen waste."

"Right," Daniel nodded, scanning the map. Several names caught his eye, mostly the ones that seemed to be equine-related puns of locations back on Earth. "This is incredible," he noted, continuing to scan the map. "So many places seem to have names that mirror locations on our world."

"Doc," Floyd started, looking at the map, "those are a bunch of pun names."

"I know, it's fascinating," Daniel replied, ignoring how unimpressed the young man sounded. "I mean, Baltimare is a harbor city just like our own Baltimore. The fact that they parallel each other warrants further study."

"If I may, doctor Jackson," Celestia spoke, setting her cup down, "I assume you came through the..." she paused, looking at the stargate.

"Yes we came through the stargate," he explained, curbing his enthusiasm slightly.

"Is that what you call it?" Celestia asked, returning her gaze to him. "The Teachers' name for it continues to elude me."

"Well it's been given many names during our travels," Daniel offered. "Chappa'ai has been a common one, and ring of still waters is one we've heard a few times that is an apt description. 'Stargate' is our translation. We got it from the Gau'uld, who got it from the Ancients name 'Astra Porta'. The operation of the device is keying in several coordinates in space and finally inputting the symbol for the point of origin. Earth's point of origin symbol is this," he pointed to the SGC logo with the pyramid and sun.

"If I remember correctly..." Celestia levitated over a sheet of paper and a pen, quickly drawing out what looked like a tree, its snaking branchings resembling a star. "This is Halla's symbol, the Tree of Harmony."

Daniel peered down at the drawing, taking a moment to think. "Princess... have you been through the gate before?"

"I..." Celestia paused, a far away look spreading across her face. "I believe so. Forgive me, my memory of that time is foggy at best."

"It's alright, Princess," Daniel said. "I only ask because Earth has several legends and myths about things like pegasi, unicorns and other beings from your world. The far east even has an equine creature known as the qilin."

"How did you find our world?" Luna spoke up, glancing between the humans.

"We found reference to Shangri-La in another city," Sam answered. "It took us a little longer to find out the address."

"And an address is how you refer to the coordinates in space you have to input, correct?" Celestia asked, her interest piqued.

"Exactly," Daniel agreed, "It sort of came to me after reading about Shangri-La."

"This is all truly fascinating," Celestia told him. "It seems we'll have much to learn from you during your time here." She cleared her throat. "I want to formally thank you for taking care of Cadance and her companions. I cannot tell you how worried we were for her safety."

"It was no trouble at all," Daniel said. "One of the SGC's primary goals has always been to ensure friendly relations with the inhabitants of other worlds and to learn from them as well as they from us." Of course, he left out the bit about collecting technology for Earth's defense.

"Cadance has assured me of that," Celestia nodded. "I do hope our people can be friends."

"We're hoping for the same thing," Sam said. "Once this facility is fully operational, we'll work on establishing formal relations. From there, we can discuss the future between our races."

"If I may hazard a guess, you plan on expanding the shield to free the city of ice?" Celestia asked, a smile on her face.

Sam blinked, not sure what to make of that statement. "Yes, that was our plan. Did Cadance tell you that as well?"

"My own deduction," Celestia smirked, "You can't lower the shield until you remove the ice and the only way to do that is to expand it."

"Well Princess, you're absolutely right." Sam said. "We should be able to do that rather quickly if we don't run into any unforeseen circumstances. Shangri-La should be free of ice in less than a day."

"To see the city again in all its glory." Celestia closed her eyes. "Don't you agree Luna?"

"It will certainly be a sight to behold, sister," Luna agreed, closing her own eyes. "It is not one that I thought we would ever see again."

"You've been here before?" Floyd asked, peeking past his camera.

"Yes," Celestia said. "When we were just fillies. I remember only a little of our time here, but I do remember being in awe of what we were seeing."

"I... wasn't expecting that..." Daniel frowned, looking between the princesses.

"Neither did we, until we heard the name Shangri-La again," Celestia replied. "Something seems to have tampered with our memories. I wouldn't be surprised if Discord was at least partially responsible."

 _"General"_ a voice crackled over Carter's earpiece.

"What is it?" Sam asked, putting a finger to the earpiece. "Did something happen?"

 _"The shield emitters are good to go,"_ the voice replied, _"We can expand the shield whenever you're ready."_

"You are clear to expand the shields," Carter told him. "Let's get Shangri-La clear."

 _"Right away ma'am."_

"Looks like the emitters were in better condition than I thought," Carter relayed to the others, smiling. "In a matter of minutes, Shangri-La will be cleared away of ice. Then, we can send you home."

"That is wondrous news," Luna said. "I can hardly wait to see it." All of a sudden, a series of rumbles started to run through the city, alerting everyone.

"Probably should have warned us about that..." Floyd muttered, holding his camera steady.

"I wasn't expecting it either," Carter said. "But think of it this way, it beats digging the city out by hand," she offered, a certain incident in Antarctica replaying in her mind.

 _"That's it, General, the shields are at full._

"I suggest keeping it up," Celestia spoke up, "I'd rather we not find out if the windigos still lurk in the tundra."

"And I thought this place was all sunshine and rainbows," Floyd muttered.

"That's why you have to learn to keep your guard up," Carter told him. "Even something that seems completely innocuous can turn out to be dangerous. Just like those parasprites."

"It's just, I wasn't expecting a world of magical ponies to co-exist with a native american spirit of cannibalism," Floyd spoke, yawning softly.

"And did you think we expected to find out that the ancient norse gods were actually the famous Roswell Greys?" Daniel asked with a chuckle. "First rule of gate travel, always expect the unexpected. Especially when it comes to our myths and legends turning out to be real."

"Did you say... cannibalism?" Lyra spoke up, a horrified look on her face.

"Yeah, the legend of the wendigo starts with a man committing the horrific act of cannibalism," Floyd explained. "Once he has tasted the flesh of man he becomes a hideous beast."

"I would hope such an act is rare?" Luna asked, eyeing Floyd.

"Yeah, cannibalism is seen as one of the most despicable things someone can do," Floyd said. "And I'm not quite sure of the exact number, but I do think it doesn't happen very often."

"Before we continue," Daniel spoke up, getting everyone's attention, "We've all been up through the night, perhaps we should get some sleep?"

"I could go for some sleep, the fuzzballs kept me up," Floyd mumbled, glancing at his fingers.

"Very well, we shall retire for the night and reconvene in the morning," Celestia said, standing up and stretching out a bit. "Once we wake up I can take Cadance, her companions, and all of you to the Crystal Empire. I am sure that Dr. Jackson will immensely enjoy seeing it."

"Good night everypony!" Lyra waved, getting to her hooves.

"I can show you to some empty rooms, Princess," Carter spoke up, standing and looking between Celestia and Luna.

"I think we can find our old rooms." Celestia smiled. "Though I would understand if you assigned us escorts."

Carter nodded, grateful for the princesses' understanding. She turned and motioned to a few guards that were standing by the door. They came up to her and snapped to attention. "Please see to it that the princesses make it to their rooms."

"Night guys." Floyd waved. He blinked, watching as Luna stepped past, the alicorn studying him for a moment. "Uh... can I help you?" he asked, not sure what to make of the look she was giving him.

"That amulet once belonged to our mentor," Luna explained, her eyes locking onto the pendant hanging from his neck. "If you are to wear it, we ask that you keep it safe."

"That was the plan, Princess," Floyd told her, putting a hand on it. "I can't quite explain it, but it's like this thing... called out to me."

"Then perhaps you are worthy of it," Luna smiled cryptically, trotting out of the room.

"Yeah... that wasn't weird at all," Floyd muttered, his hand dropping from the amulet as he began walking toward his own room. "And to think, I almost said no to going through the gate."

"That was... odd..." Daniel commented, turning to Carter.

"Daniel, we've dealt with odd things for about a decade now," Carter reminded him. "That doesn't even crack the top ten. But, it does bear looking into."

"Right," Daniel nodded, getting to his feet. "Try not to stay up too late."

"I could say the same to you," Carter shot back, getting up with him. "I saw the way your eyes lit up when you read that map. That look usually comes before you pull an all night research session."

"The way I see it, we're going to have a busy day tomorrow," he replied, walking to the door.

"I'd be disappointed if we had walked through the gate and there was nothing for us to do," Carter offered. "As it stands, we've struck metaphorical gold on this find."

"You just know the IOA's going to pull something," Daniel sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"We've dealt with them before and we can deal with them now," Carter said.

"Let's not forget, they removed you from Atlantis for being too good at your job."

"I'm not going to let that happen again," Carter told him with a frown. "Even if I have to pull every string I have at my disposal."

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that." He turned, looking at her, "Night, Sam."

"Good night, Daniel," she replied, parting ways with him to go to her own room.

* * *

"I was worried you were going to bite that young stallion's head off," Celestia commented, looking around their old quarters.

"I was half-tempted to when I saw the amulet he had so brazenly taken," Luna replied, laying comfortably on her bed.

"But you didn't," Celestia pointed out, taking her own bed.

"You once told me that you felt Twilight Sparkle's potential the moment you saw her," Luna began, looking over at her, "I believe I felt the same thing."

"Hmm, these descendants of the Teachers are rather interesting," Celestia mused with a smile. "We will have to watch the young stallion and see if you were right about him."

"I hope we are right about them..." Luna muttered, laying her head down.

"I do not think we have anything to worry about this particular group of humans," Celestia offered. "Though I do not know about any others."

"Cadance and her companions gave them high praise."

"True, just call me paranoid," Celestia said, laying her own head down. "Let's hope that our dealings with the humans continue to be pleasant ones."

"Good night, sister."

"And pleasant dreams to you," Celestia replied, letting out a yawn as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	8. Crosscurrent Part 4

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Crosscurrent [part 4]

"I'm sorry to bother you, General, but they insisted," Lt. Kim apologized, standing in the general's door.

"It's fine, Lieutenant," Carter assured her. "What did they want at this time of day? The sun's not even up yet."

"They uh..." Kim scratched her cheek. "They claim they need to lower the moon and raise the sun."

"...I need to see this," Carter said, walking out of her room. "It's impossible for them to be able to do such a thing," she muttered to herself. "Even with magic they can't just override a star's superior gravity."

"Might just be superstition," Kim suggested as they moved through the empty hallways.

"It doesn't make sense though," Carter said. "They don't seem like they want to play gods like the Goa'uld. Did they sound earnest when they made their request?"

"They were very insistent, General," Kim explained, "Princess Celestia claims she hasn't been late once in the last thousand years."

"Okay, so they obviously believe they're really doing something," Carter nodded. She concentrated, running through all the possibilities of what the two could actually be doing. "I do have a hypothesis," she said slowly, a satisfied smile on her face. "Perhaps this planet is tidally locked!"

"Ma'am?"

"Tidal lock is something that occurs with our moon back home," Carter explained. "The rotation speed matches the orbit speed so that one hemisphere always faces the celestial body it orbits. The princesses aren't literally raising the sun and moon, they're affecting the rotation of this planet."

"That's a quick answer," Kim commented, looking back at her.

"I'm not just a General, Lieutenant," Carter told her with a chuckle. "I earned my doctorate in astrophysics."

"Right." Kim nodded, "They're in the jumper bay, waiting for us."

"Alright, and I may not bring up this little revelation to them," Carter admitted. "We've only just met the princesses and I'd hate to offend them." Kim nodded, leading her up into the jump bay. Celestia and Luna looked wide awake, chatting with their escorts. "Hello, princesses," Carter greeted. "Lieutenant Kim tells me that you wanted to lower the moon and raise the sun this morning."

"It is a duty that has been entrusted to us for a thousand years," Luna spoke, nodding her head.

"Well, that does sound important," Carter replied. "Do you mind if I watch you two do it?"

"Of course not," Celestia assured with a smile, "Though, we will need to be on the other side of the shield."

"Then we'll need to get you in a jumper," Carter explained, motioning toward the nearest ship. "That's the only thing that can pass through the shield."

"I do wish the Teachers had made their carriages larger," Luna grumbled, shooting one of the jumpers a look of disdain.

"They have to be this size," Carter said. "Otherwise they wouldn't fit through the gate." She opened the door to one of the jumpers, ushering the princesses inside. Luna sighed as she moved inside, laying down on one of the benches. Carter nodded to their designated pilot, moving up to the front compartment, Celestia laying down on the floor. The pilot took the controls and the jumper hovered in the air. The pilot took the jumper past the shield and landed it on a nearby flat part of the tundra outside.

Celestia and Luna teleported outside, bracing themselves against the blizzard.

"Not the most pleasant place we've ever performed our sacred duty," Luna grumbled, her body shivering even after the brief exposure to the cold.

"Would you rather the world panic?" Celestia asked, raising her eyebrow.

"You know that I do not wish for such a thing," Luna sighed. Luna lit up her horn, then Celestia lit her own horn up, closing her eyes. In a matter of moments, the moon started to dip below the horizon. The sun then started peaking up, taking the moon's former place in the sky.

"There." Celestia smiled, opening her eyes. "Not even the Frozen North can stop us."

"If Discord couldn't do it, then I doubt a little cold weather could," Luna replied with a chuckle as she walked back to the jumper.

"Keep that up and you'll jinx us," Celestia joked, letting Luna get in first.

"Well, you've already been stopped once before," Luna teased, a smirk on her face. "Cadance told me all about what happened at her wedding."

"At least I didn't sleep through it," Celestia shot back, laying down on the floor.

"You're right, I would've liked to have seen it in person," Luna replied, laying down next to her.

"Did you enjoy the show?" Celestia asked, turning her attention to the humans.

"It was certainly something to behold," Carter replied. "Seeing that really reminds me how far away from home I am." The jumper picked up again, taking them back into the hangar.

"I know that feeling, I spent a very long time away from home," Luna spoke, looking away.

"Spending a long time from home is part of my job," Carter told her. "It took some getting used to that, but going out into space was a dream of mine since I was just a little girl."

"If only I had been so lucky..."

"So, now that it's officially morning, how about we have some breakfast?" Carter asked, wanting to change the topic and hopefully lift the mood. "We've got plenty of food here."

"I think that sounds lovely," Celestia responded with a smile.

"Sounds good then," Carter replied. "Let's get back in the city and get something to eat. I think I should introduce you to some human breakfast foods. Namely, cereal."

"I assure you General, we have cereal."

"Then I guess we'll just have to show you ours, and next time you can show us yours," Carter said with a chuckle. The princesses teleported out of the jumper, letting the others walk out.

"Can humans eat oats?" Luna asked, gazing at Carter's stomach for a moment.

"Humans are omnivorous," Carter explained. "We've got a pretty varied diet that includes grains of various kinds, fruits and vegetables, and a need for protein that some of us use meat to fill but others of us just eat certain plant matter like tofu in order to get it."

"Sounds very handy," Luna commented.

"It is for the most part," Carter replied,. "It's certainly made human cuisine quite varied. Not just on our own planet, either."

"I cannot wait to try my hoof." Celestia grinned, fluffing her wings.

"Glad to hear it," Carter replied, beginning to lead them out of the bay. "We might as well exchange cuisine on top of everything else."

"I can think of a few ponies that would be eager to try different human food," Celestia said, chuckling at the thought of a certain pink pony.

"I pray that the food here is nothing like Canterlot's." Luna shuddered, her stomach groaning at the idea of ingesting the wretched substances that passed as food in the capital.

"I keep telling you to avoid the places that have been reviewed by that tasteless pony Zesty Gourmand, but you refuse to listen to me," Celestia told her with a roll of the eyes. "Every time I offer to disguise the two of us so we can have a quiet meal at my favorite places you always pass."

"I am this close to arresting her for crimes against good taste," Luna huffed, "she obviously has none."

"Luna, we're not creating food based laws just to get rid of a talentless hack of a critic," Celestia scolded. "Even if she is awful..."

"Bah!" Luna pouted, looking away from her.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the ponies of Canterlot will come to the conclusion that Zesty wouldn't know good food from her own plot at some point," Celestia assured with a chuckle. "They can only stomach so much of that drivel she forces her approved restaurants to make."

"We shall see, sister."

"Well, it certainly seems like you two have strong feelings about food," Carter commented, chuckling a little at their back and forth.

"Most food is better than moon rocks," Luna replied.

"And better than Jack's melted arctic ice," Carter added.

"You didn't actually eat moon rocks," Celestia spoke, a look of horror dawning on her face. "Did you...?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," Luna replied cryptically. "It's not like there was any hay or flowers on the moon."

"Oh, Luna..." Celestia turned her head away, unable to look at her sister.

"None of that, sister." Luna sighed. "What's done is done. We cannot change the past, even when it hurts." Luna gazed at Carter, who wore a confused expression. "Though I do believe we have lost the General."

"Yes." Carter nodded. "I'm sorry but… you've been on your planet's moon before?" she asked carefully.

"Aye." Luna nodded solemnly. "We were banished there for the last thousand years."

"And you were able to survive there?" Carter asked, unable to comprehend what she was hearing. "Does your moon have an atmosphere?"

"It was more... I was trapped inside of it than on it."

"And you were conscious the entire time?" Carter inquired. "Or were you put into some form of stasis or hibernation?"

"Technically, Nightmare Moon spent most of that time stewing in her hatred, squirreling her power away until she could free us."

"This is all very interesting, but I think it's best if we change the subject," Carter said, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"I agree." Celestia nodded. "I'd rather not dwell on past mistakes."

"I am interested in learning more about your world," Carter suggested, walking into the mess hall, "It must be hard with so many races all on one planet."

"In the past, things were rather tense at times," Celestia admitted. "Even the three different pony tribes were at each other's throats at one time. But things have greatly improved. Our little ponies have learned to work together in harmony and we even have good relations with most of the other races of this world." Celestia frowned. "Of course, there are a few that we are not friends with."

"That sounds rather impressive," Carter said. "Things back home have greatly improved between our different cultures as well. I guess finding out we're not alone in the universe had a way of bringing us together."

"We could give you the 'crash course' as it were," Celestia offered.

"I'd like that a lot," Carter agreed. "If we're going to be working on this planet for an extended time, then we'll need to learn about all of its various inhabitants." The princesses nodded, allowing Carter to fill their trays. "I decided to give you various types of our breakfast foods to see what you think," Carter told them, holding their trays out for them before moving to fill her own up.

"Thank you." Celestia smiled as she and Luna took their trays from her. Carter quickly grabbed her own food, purposely avoiding the meat in an attempt to not make the princesses uncomfortable. She took a seat at the closest table and motioned for them to join her. They trotted over, sitting down. "Who would you like to know about first?"

"I've heard the word griffon mentioned before, let's start with them," Carter said, taking a bite out of her food.

"The griffons are a..." Celestia frowned, trying to find the right words. "A very difficult people."

"And very greedy," Luna added.

"But they are not without their positive traits," Celestia assured. "It usually just takes getting past a quite rough exterior to find them."

"Until you ask a question of them. Then they start demanding bits."

"Guess we'll have to get some of this planet's money before we try dealing with them," Carter lamented. "What about another race?"

"You should also know, the griffons no longer have any form of government," Celestia warned.

"No wonder less than ideal traits have shown up," Carter commented. "They're living in an anarchy."

"As far as I am aware, they were always like that," Celestia corrected, "It was only once they found a mystical artifact that they united previously."

"Huh, we'll have to look into that," Carter admitted. "I'm sure Daniel will get a kick out of learning their history."

"Just make sure he has loads of bits."

"We'll work on that," Carter replied. "Though he does still have chocolate on him. Would they take that instead?"

"Not that we know of."

"That's a shame," Carter lamented. "Guess it can't be helped though. So, what about the other races?"

"The deer live in the Everfree," Celestia started, beginning to eat.

"Deer?" Carter repeated, caught off guard by that. "I wasn't expecting to hear those being here."

"Doctor Jackson didn't tell you?"

"It must've slipped his mind between everything else that we had learned yesterday," Carter said. "Still, I guess it makes sense that there'd be deer here. We have ponies back home too. Well, at least what you'd call earth ponies anyway."

"You have Earth Ponies?" Luna asked, looking genuinely surprised.

"Well, we have an animal that has a passing resemblance to Earth Ponies," Carter clarified. "Their intelligence isn't nearly as high as any of yours and their coloration isn't quite as varied."

"And you have deer as well?" Celestia asked curiously.

"Yes, they're pretty common in my country too." Carter nodded. "They live in a lot of our wooded and rural areas. I'm guessing your deer are smarter than ours too."

"They hold a small kingdom in the Everfree forest." Celestia took a bit of toast. "Besides a rather brave zebra, they are the only ones daring enough to make the forest their home."

"...Did you just say zebra?" Carter asked, blinking. "There are zebras here too?"

"They aren't native to the Equestrian continent, but yes there is a sizable population in our country."

"This day is getting stranger and stranger and breakfast isn't even over yet," Carter muttered. "There are zebras on our planet as well. They live on a continent we call Africa."

"Zebras are mostly tribal in nature, and by tradition, speak in rhyme."

"Sounds like they'd be good friends with Dr. Seuss," Carter commented, chuckling slightly.

"Who?" Luna asked, tilting her head.

"He's a famous children's book author from our world. He used a lot of rhyming in his books," Carter explained.

"I would be rather interested in reading some of his work." Celestia smiled. "I must ask General Carter, do you have any legends about... changelings?"

"I believe we do." Carter nodded. "Though I couldn't give you the specifics on any legends. That's Daniel's area of expertise, not mine. I'm guessing changelings are a thing here too?"

"They are an insect-like race of ponies," Celestia spoke, a torn look spreading across her face, "They live in hives, led by queens. One such queen, Chrysalis, nearly toppled our nation."

"Then there are other hives that might not be hostile?" Carter inquired.

"A few, one in Trottingham. I have tea with the queen every so often." Celestia nodded with a smile.

"Well, if this Chrysalis shows up and tries to topple Equestria again, our technology might be able to help you."

"That would be very kind of you." Celestia bowed her head slightly. "But, if it were a mere war of arms, we wouldn't have come so close to defeat. Changelings are shapeshifters, able to fully change into their target, replacing them and feeding on the love directed toward the one they replaced."

"Sounds like a useful ability," Carter said. "Would the queen you have tea with mind giving us a DNA sample? I'm sure our biology team would have a field day studying this."

"You could ask her yourself," Celestia offered, "I'm sure she'd love to meet you."

"I'll take you up on that offer," Carter answered. "Just make sure to coach me on proper etiquette around her. I'd hate to offend her in some way."

"We still have a few other races to go over," Celestia stated, sipping at her drink.

"Then what about minotaurs?" Carter inquired. "I remember them being mentioned yesterday."

"Loud, brutish creatures." Luna snorted.

"What she means to say is that the minotaurs can be a bit boisterous," Celestia said, shooting her sister a quick look. "They can also be a bit stubborn, which is where the term 'bullheaded' comes from."

"Are you on good terms?" Carter asked, looking between them.

"The minotaurs are a race that we have a healthy trade relationship with," Celestia answered. "Most of our metalworks come from them. In fact, our guards' armor is all made by a minotaur blacksmith by the name of Steel Will."

"We have not always seen eye to eye with them," Luna admitted, fluffing her wings.

"It's amazing to be learning about all these different races," Carter said. "You'd think I'd have learned that there's some truth in some of the old human myths, but it's never been like this."

"All myths should be taken with a grain of salt, General." Celestia chuckled, looking at her.

"You make a good point, princess," Carter admitted. "I just needed to be reminded of that I guess." Celestia chuckled.

"My compliments to your chef."

"I'll be sure to pass that along," Carter replied with a smile. "The food here is much better than what I had back in basic training."

"Are we interrupting?" Cadance asked, walking over with Lyra and Bon Bon in tow.

"Not at all," Celestia assured her. "We were just teaching the General here about the other races we share this world with. We just covered the minotaurs."

"Have you gotten to the buffalo?" Lyra asked, sitting next to Carter.

"No, we hadn't mentioned them yet," Luna replied. "We were just about to, though."

"The buffalo are very nice people," Lyra smiled, looking at Carter.

"That's good to hear. What can you tell me about their culture?" Carter asked.

"Nomadic, tribal. They live down south, near Appleloosa," Lyra explained, "Peaceful."

"Is that all the sapient races?" Carter asked. "Or are there more I should know about?"

"There are the dragons, the centaurs, the gargoyles, and a few others," Lyra explained, examining Carter's plate.

"Do you want some food?" Carter asked, noticing Lyra staring.

"Sorry..." Lyra chuckled sheepishly, looking away.

"You've got nothing to apologize for." Carter waved off. "Still, this might be the most interesting planet I've visited so far. It's certainly got the most varied intelligent species in one place."

"I'm glad you think so highly of us," Luna laughed, "Hopefully your stay will be a pleasant one."

"I hope the same thing," Carter said. "We've had good luck so far, minus the parasprite incident. Getting the shield to full power went much quicker than I thought it would."

"Do you know if there are any more in the city?"

"There shouldn't be," Carter answered. "Our systems indicated that we rounded them all up and they all should be under Cadance's crystal spell. We've been keeping our eyes peeled, though."

"That's a relief." Cadance smiled.

"We owe it all to you girls," Carter told them, getting up to grab three more trays of food. "If you hadn't known how to corral them and had a non-lethal way of dealing with them, things would've ended very differently."

"What are friends for?" Cadance beamed.

"You got me there, Cadance," Carter admitted with a chuckle, putting the three trays down in front of Lyra, Bon Bon, and Cadance before sitting down and resuming her own meal.

"Thanks!" Lyra chirped before munching away.

"Don't mention it," Carter waved off. "I hope you like it all."

"Cadance, we should discuss our plans for the day," Celestia spoke, finishing her drink.

"You're right," Cadance agreed, taking a bite out of her cereal. "I've got to get back to the empire at some point today. I'm sure Shiny's worried sick by now."

"I was thinking, you return to the Empire with our guests, while Luna and I return to Canterlot with Lyra and Bon Bon," Celestia explained, "Word is going to spread fast and I want to quash any untoward rumors."

"That sounds like a good plan to me, Auntie," Cadance agreed with a smile. "I'm sure they'll love seeing the empire."

"I am curious, what was that young stallion's name?" Luna asked, looking at Carter, "The one with the camera."

"That would be Floyd Hendrix," Carter answered. "He's got the ATA gene, and a very responsive one based on what I've seen. That's the primary reason he was selected to come along with us. I could get his file if you'd like a more detailed description."

"ATA gene?" Celestia asked, raising her eyebrow.

"It's short for Ancient Technology Activation gene," Carter clarified. "The Ancients put a genetic lock on a lot of their technology so that only one of their species, or at least one who bears the particular gene, can use their tech. Some of it only requires the gene for initial activation, after which anyone can operate it, but some actually requires it for all operation. It's the reason why I can't pilot a jumper."

"I see." Celestia nodded.

"Why the sudden interest in Floyd?" Carter asked, turning to Luna.

"He has our mentor's amulet, that is cause enough," Luna replied, sipping at her drink.

"I, see," Carter replied with a nod. "If he seems to do anything that concerns you, let me know. I'd hate for you to think we're disrespecting your mentor."

"He appears to be a fine stallion," Celestia assured her with a smile.

"True," Carter agreed. "The only blemishes on his records are ones we chalked up to childhood ignorance and naivete."

"We all do," Celestia giggled, "I could spend days telling you how much mischief my sister and I caused when we were fillies."

"I was a military brat, so I didn't cause much mischief myself," Carter said. "I was more of the quiet, bookish type. Always studying to prepare for my dream of joining NASA and exploring other worlds. As you can see, half that dream came true," she concluded with a chuckle.

"NASA?" Cadance asked curiously.

"It means National Aeronautics and Space Administration," Carter elaborated. "Before the Stargate project was public, most people thought that we'd explore the stars through shuttlecraft built by them."

"Your people are most fascinating, General Carter." Luna's eyes seemed to shine. "No pony has left our world save me since the Teachers' time."

"Well, a lot of our technology at this point is thanks to collaboration with other planets, or things we've piggybacked off of the Ancients," Carter replied. "But I could always bring you a model of the Apollo 11 rocket. That was the first manned mission to the moon."

"I would be most grateful." Luna inclined her head in gratitude.

"Then I'll be sure to do so," Carter told her with a smile.

"Hey, um, General?" Lyra asked, poking at her food.

"What is it, Lyra?" Carter asked, turning to the mint colored unicorn mare.

"Well, the old legends say that Teachers came down in their city..." she looked up at her. "Can Shangri-La... fly?"

"It should be able to," Carter replied. "All the diagnostic reports indicate that there's no major damage to any of the vital systems."

"This place can fly?" Bon Bon asked, looking around. "Like Cloudsdale?"

"That depends, can Cloudsdale breach this planet's atmosphere and move faster than light?" Carter asked with a chuckle.

"No..." Bon Bon conceded, "But it is made of clouds."

"Sounds like an interesting place," Carter replied.

"It's the center of our weather production," Celestia explained, "Cloudsdale's weather factory is the biggest in the country. It handles all of our seasonal changes."

"Then we'll have to study it thoroughly," Carter replied. "We could learn a lot from the factory."

"On a related note," Celestia continued, "I assume you'll be moving the city?"

"Yes, we need to avoid another ice buildup occurring. But we can wait until you inform the public about us," Carter conceded.

"Of course." Celestia nodded. "I want to thank you for your hospitality, General, most situations like this go very poorly."

"I have a lot of experience when it comes to first contact with another people," Carter replied.

Celestia dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, pushing her plate away. "Luna, are you finished?"

"Yes, I am full," Luna replied with a nod.

"Than I ask for your leave, General." Celestia stood up, pushing her chair in. "We should not tarry longer."

"You don't have to ask me for that," Carter said with a smile. "You're a guest, not a subordinate."

"It would be very rude for us to just leave," Luna countered, rising to her hooves. The two alicorns bowed their heads, reciting a phrase in what Carter recognized as Ancient. From what she knew, she picked out the words 'fire', 'friendship' and 'heart.'

"I assume your mentor taught you that?" Carter asked.

"It's an old..." Celestia gestured with a hoof, trying to find the right term.

"The phrase is given in thanks," Luna explained, coming to her sister's aid, "I believe the correct translation is 'May the fire of friendship forever warm your heart.'"

"I'll have to learn that phrase," Carter said with a smile.

Celestia smiled back. "Ms. Heartstrings, Ms. Bon, are you finished?"

"Oh, actually..." Lyra bit her lip. "I was hoping I could stay, if the General allows it. There's so much to learn here!"

"Lyra!" Bon Bon frowned. "You can't just-"

"I have no qualms with Lyra remaining here if the General allows it," Celestia said, causing Bon Bon to quiet down.

"I'm more than happy to answer Lyra's questions," Carter replied. "Though some answers might end up being, 'That's classified.' And you can't interfere with my work."

"Of course not!" Lyra nodded, wagging her tail happily.

"Good, then stick close to me," Carter said as she turned to leave.

"Be good for the Princess, Bon Bon!" Lyra pulled her into a loving kiss before trotting after Carter.

"Try not to bug the general too much!" Bon Bon called out.

"Come along Ms. Bon," Celestia instructed, walking toward the exit, "We have _much_ to discuss." Bon Bon nodded and followed after the princesses.

"Have a safe trip!" Cadance called after them.

"So, what did you want to discuss with me?" Bon Bon asked once they were out of earshot.

"You can drop the act, Agent Sweetie Drops," Celestia spoke curtly.

"Alright," the earth pony mare said, her demeanor shifting. "There's gotta be something up if you're calling me that here."

"From your observations, can we trust these humans?"

"They've given me no reason not to," Sweetie Drops reported. "They're a little ignorant about magic and creatures of this world, but since they're from another planet that makes sense."

Celestia nodded, looking deep in thought.

"Something on your mind about these humans?" Sweetie Drops asked.

"They look exactly like the Teachers... almost like they never left..."

"They did say that they're descended from the Teachers," the agent reminded her.

Celestia nodded, almost instinctively leading them to the Jumper Bay.

A guard came up to them and asked, "Is there something you needed, Princess?"

"A ride home, if you please." She smiled. "We could always fly ourselves, but it is rather cold outside."

"I can have that arranged," the guard said with a nod. "I'll just have to notify the general about your departure and get clearance to take a Jumper out for you." The guard pressed the button on his walkie talkie and contacted Carter.

 _"Yes?"_ Carter replied.

"Princess Celestia wishes to leave. Requesting permission to take a Jumper out of the hangar."

 _"Granted. Prep a second Jumper for Princess Cadance and Doctor Jackson as well."_

"Consider it done," the guard replied as he let go of the button. "Alright, we need two Jumpers prepared for launch!" he called out.

"And now we wait." Celestia sat on her haunches, watching the humans dash back and forth.

"You won't be waiting long," the guard assured her. "We could do this in our sleep."

"I can tell, you appear to be quite efficient."

"That's because only the best of the best from all branches get picked to be in the Stargate program. We're the most elite force the Earth military's got," the guard said with pride.

"Hopefully, you won't have to test your mettle on Halla."

"You got a point," the guard replied with a chuckle. "I told the missus that this mission would be a cakewalk. I'd rather bare knuckle brawl with a Wraith than lie to her."

"Wraith?" Sweetie Drops asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Oh, they're nasty SOB's. They can suck the life outta ya through their hands," the guard explained. "And supposedly they evolved from some bug."

"Sounds..." Celestia and Luna exchanged glances. "Most unpleasant."

"I believe we should increase Tartarus's security," Luna suggested, to which Celestia agreed.

"We've finished prep on the Jumpers," another soldier said, snapping a quick salute.

"Must we squeeze ourselves into that metal contraption again?" Luna pouted, rising to her hooves.

"I dunno, Lulu, do you wish to brave the Frozen North again?" Celestia asked, fluffing her wings.

"...Inside the contraption it is," Luna replied with a sigh, trotting into one of the Jumpers.

"As I recall, you loved riding in them when we were foals."

"We're a lot larger now than we were then," Luna pointed out. "You, particularly, have filled out in the flanks."

"Keep that up and you'll have to walk home." Celestia lay down on the floor next to her, with Sweetie Drops lying on a bench.

"Fine, though one would think you could take a joke," Luna replied, nudging her sister's side. Celestia pouted, nudging her back.

"If it's jokes you want, then perhaps I should regale everypony with the tale of the first Grand Galloping Gala?" Celestia said, her pout becoming a smirk directed at Luna. Sweetie Drops looked between them, trying to keep from laughing. Luna grumbled under her breath, turning away from Celestia with a pout.

"This is going to be an interesting flight," their pilot chuckled, moving the Jumper up and out of the bay.

* * *

"Are we expecting a warm welcome, Cadance?" Daniel asked, watching as Floyd taught the pink alicorn to play Texas hold 'em.

"We should, since I'm returning to my home after having been missing. And the Crystal Empire will be sure to repay your hospitality," Cadance replied.

"Sounds fun," Floyd commented, doing his best to get a read on Cadance. The princess just smiled, not letting him get anything.

"Just don't do anything to rile up the locals," Daniel warned.

"Don't worry, I read the orientation packet like three times," Floyd said. "Plus, I know to let you do most of the talking. A good cameraman isn't heard, after all."

"Fair warning, the Crystal Ponies are still rather jumpy." Cadance flipped the last few of the river cards down, keeping a serene face. Floyd groaned, his head falling over as he revealed his own cards. "Looks like I win." She laid her cards down, revealing a three of a kind.

"You've got one hell of a poker face, Princess," complimented Floyd.

"Years of practice." She smiled, collecting and shuffling the cards. "Another round?"

"Sure, not like I got anything better to do," Floyd replied. Cadance dealt the cards again, placing the river cards down. Floyd threw in his makeshift chips, making the first bet. Cadance did the same, studying her cards closely. "Got anything good there?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Do you?"

"I might," he replied, tossing in a couple more chips.

"You sure you don't want to join us, doctor?" Cadance asked, glancing over at Daniel.

"I'm very sure," Daniel replied. "I'm terrible at card games. Jack won nearly all of one of my paychecks the last time he convinced me to play. And Teal'c won even more off me."

"Friends of yours?"

"Well, Jack and I went through the Stargate together in what we thought was the first ever trip through it. And Teal'c along with Jack and Carter were in the team known as SG 1 with me," Daniel explained.

"Sounds like Twilight and her friends." Cadance tossed in a few more chips, flipping the next river card over.

"I'm assuming this Twilight is a friend of yours as well?" Daniel asked.

"She's actually my sister-in-law, I married her older brother, Shining Armor."

"Ah," Daniel said with a nod. "Do the two of you get along?"

"Like sisters." Cadance beamed. "I actually used to be her foalsitter."

"Glad to hear it," Daniel said. "Marriages run much smoother if the in-laws like you."

"Speaking from experience?"

"I am," he replied, though Cadance noted the hint of sadness in his voice.

"You're married?" Floyd asked with a quirked brow. "I've never seen a ring on you, Doc."

"Floyd," Cadance got his attention, shaking her head slightly.

"Uh… ya know what, forget I said anything," Floyd said.

"Hey, Doctor Jackson?" their pilot called back.

"What is it?" Daniel asked, turning his attention to the cockpit.

"You're gonna wanna see this." Daniel got out of his seat and headed up to the cockpit to look at what the pilot was talking about. Daniel almost did a double take, leaning in closer for a better look.

"Well, I can see why it's called the Crystal Empire now," was all Daniel could say.

The Empire was aptly named, all of its structures were made of shimmering crystal of every hue. The city formed a perfect circle, with a massive white spire in the middle. It was untouched by the tundra, being green and rather pleasant, this effect reaching out in all directions for a few miles.

"This almost reminds me of the Tok'ra tunnel systems," Daniel noted.

"Gentlestallions," Cadance cleared her throat, putting on an air of authority, "allow me the honor of officially welcoming you to the Crystal Empire."

"It's certainly an impressive looking place," Daniel said. "And I'm sure it has a history to match."

"The Empire's scars run deep. I have to ask that you refrain from asking the Crystal Ponies about the Empire's history."

"Don't worry, Princess, I know how to keep my enthusiasm from getting the better of me," Daniel assured her. "Years of getting a weapon pointed at me for asking the wrong question have taught me that skill."

"Oh no Daniel, the Crystal Ponies are a friendly people," Cadance assured him. "This is for their protection."

"Alright, I can still learn what I want from the local library, correct?" Daniel asked.

"Sombra hid a lot of the Empire's history." Cadance frowned. "We still don't even know all of what he did during his reign. When my aunts defeated him, he cursed the city, and while we've managed to free it..." she paused a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "The Crystal Ponies can't quite recall anything that happened before their reappearance and when they try, Sombra's curse will send them into a mental breakdown."

"That's awful," Daniel said with a grimace. "Princess, part of my job is to uncover lost history. With your permission, I'd like to lead a team and see if we can uncover the history of your Empire."

"Granted, as long as you honor my request." Cadance nodded.

"I would never betray the trust of a friend," Daniel replied. "The others on the team will respect that wish as well."

"Thank you." She smiled up at him.

"I should be thanking you for this opportunity," he replied.

"Where should we set down, Princess?" their pilot asked.

"Land outside the city," Cadance said. "We don't want to scare the citizens." He nodded, engaging the Jumper's cloak.

"Is there anything else we need to know besides not asking about history?" Floyd questioned.

"Not that I can think of."

"That's good," Floyd said. "Then I'll just stick to the usual set of manners."

The Jumper set down quietly, the ramp lowering for them. Cadance stepped out first, followed by Daniel, and then Floyd.

"Aren't you coming?" Cadance asked the pilot.

"Nah, someone's gotta keep an eye on the Jumper," the pilot said.

"Well, alright, but I'm sending a guard to check on you."

"Thanks, Princess, that's a sweet gesture. Try to send one that can hold a decent conversation," the pilot said with a chuckle. Cadance nodded before turning around, leading her guests into the city.


	9. Sheut Part1

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Sheut

"Doc... are those ponies... living crystal?" Floyd asked, staring at the crystal ponies going about their day.

"Well, that would appear to be the case," Daniel said. "But keep in mind that magic is a thing here. They could just look like crystal without actually being made of it. Our bio team might have to take a look to determine what the case actually is, though."

The ponies in question did indeed appear to made of crystal, even to the point of seeming to be translucent. Thankfully, none of their organs were visible. The larger sample size also gave Daniel a more accurate picture of how diverse ponies were when it came to coloration.

"The crystal ponies look the way they do thanks to their connection to the Crystal Heart," Cadance explained. "And during special events when the Heart lets out more power than normal, the effect spreads to others in the Empire as well."

"I gotta ask, how are they gonna react to us?" Floyd asked nervously, glancing at Cadance.

"I'm not sure how they'll react at first," Cadance admitted. "Ponies can often be skittish when faced with something new. But once I explain how you took care of me, things will be fine."

"Uh... you take lead, Doc." Floyd fiddled with his camera, getting it rolling. Daniel took the lead of the group, walking into the city square. Almost immediately, the ponies slowed to a crawl, staring at them.

"Hello there, my name is Doctor Daniel Jackson, I come from a place far away from here. I am in your Empire as part of a mission of peace. My people would like to trade our knowledge, among other things, with yours," Daniel said.

They continued to stare, an uncomfortable silence settling on them.

"Princess, could you help me out here?" Daniel asked, looking over at the alicorn.

"There's no need to fear, everypony," Cadance assured with a bright smile, "Doctor Jackson and Mister Hendrix are perfectly friendly." She held her smile for a few moments, before it collapsed into a frown.

One of the Crystal ponies, an older, blue stallion moved to speak, only to double over, clutching his head. "T-the... Teachers have returned!" he shouted, realization spreading across his face.

"Um… no, we're not the Teachers," Daniel corrected. "The Teachers are gone. However, my people are descendants of the Teachers."

The ponies didn't seem to hear him, as similar cries erupted throughout the crowd.

"Ah, the misunderstanding," Daniel said with a sigh. "I'll have to tell Jack about this so he can add it to the tally board."

"You keep score?" Floyd raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

"Jack had the idea a while ago to make a tally whenever we ran into common problems on our missions. Us getting mistaken for something we're not is a very common one," Daniel said.

"Uh huh. You got a weird life, doc."

"You don't know the half of it," Daniel said with a chuckle. "I could go on for an entire year non-stop just about the things that happened before the Atlantis discovery."

"Sounds fun." Floyd shifted uncomfortably as the crowd swarmed them, bombarding them with praise or questions.

"Just be glad they aren't pointing weapons at you or throwing you in some awful prison," Daniel said as he tried to control the crowd. "Everyone, we'll gladly answer questions, but we can't understand them if you talk all at once."

" **Okay, everypony,** " Cadance spoke, slipping into the Royal Canterlot Voice to overcome the roar of the crowd, " **I realize you're excited, but please take a breath.** " The crowd finally listened, the noise from them becoming a dull chatter. "That's much better." She nodded to Daniel.

"Thank you, now I'll start taking questions," Daniel said. He pointed at a pink crystal mare. "You there, do you have a question?"

"Why did you forsake us?" she asked, looking up at him, frowning.

"As I tried to tell you before, I'm not one of the Teachers. My people are called 'humans' and we are descended from the Teachers," Daniel said. "And they forsook you because they fell to a plague. They quarantined themselves in Shangri-La to prevent it from spreading to anyone else."

"They're gone?" another pony asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Daniel said. "But a piece of them lives on in what they left behind. Their accomplishments still help millions upon millions of lives." The ponies mumbled, talking amongst themselves.

"Do you think that's good mumbling, or bad mumbling?" Floyd whispered.

"Can I have your attention everypony?" Cadance spoke again, getting their attention much more easily this time.

"What is it, Princess?" an older stallion asked.

"I think a celebration is in order. I would like each of you to contribute, and show our guests just how welcoming of a people we are!" The crowd cheered, rushing off to get started. "There, that should keep them from crowding you two," Cadance beamed. "Let's head to the castle, I don't want to keep Shiny waiting any longer." Daniel and Floyd nodded and continued to follow her through the city.

"This place is like something out of a fairy tale," Floyd commented.

"You should see it during the Crystal Faire, everything shines and glitters for the entire day." She paused, looking at Daniel. "You speak the Teachers' language, right?"

"I know a good deal about the language, why?" Daniel asked, quirking a brow.

"Maybe you can figure out what's going on with the Crystal Heart, then." She led them deeper into the city, stopping at the base of the central spire. Floating in the center, cordoned off by guards, was a floating crystal, shaped like a heart. Around it hovered several holographic screens which, much to Daniel's surprise, were sporting Ancient text.

"Fascinating," Daniel said as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll gladly examine the heart for you."

"Excellent. If it's alright with you, I'm going to go find my husband." Cadance turned to the closest guard, a green crystal pony. "I want you to see to these stallions' needs while I'm gone." The stallion saluted before she trotted off.

"So..." Floyd scratched his neck, looking at the Heart. "Floating gemstone?"

"Hmm, it might take me some time to translate all of this," Daniel said. "I'm seeing words I haven't encountered before. I'm guessing the Ancients of Shangri-La had a branching dialect thanks to their interactions with ponies."

"I mean, that's not really surprising." Floyd turned to the guards. "I think I might try and get some footage, maybe a few interviews, that cool with you?"

"That's fine with me," Daniel said, getting out a notebook and scribbling notes. "Just stay out of trouble."

"Call me if you need me." Floyd moved over to the closest guard, clearing his throat. "Mind showing me around?"

"We were told to tend to your needs," the guard replied. "We will gladly escort you."

"Then lead the way, gentlemen." Floyd gestured for them to walk, getting his camera ready. Two of the guards started to trot ahead of him, ignoring his choice of words. "See ya later, Doc." he waved off, following after them. Daniel returned the wave, never taking his eyes off his work.

* * *

Higgs grumbled as he glanced at the entrapped parasprites. Despite the tower having been deemed safe from the little buggers, the general still wanted guards posted at each cluster, to make sure they didn't break free. He adjusted the rifle in his arms, doing his best to look like a model soldier despite the boredom.

He did his best not to look at the frozen bugs, their lidless eyes unnerved him greatly.

"Ugh, can't believe the others called these things cute," he muttered. A shadow flittered across the hallway, catching his attention. "Control," he tapped his walkie, a deep frown on his face. "Higgs here, I'm the only one in this section right? Over."

"This is Control. I'm looking at the heat sigs right now, you are the only one there, why? Over."

"Could be my imagination, but I think something's down here with me. Over."

"Should we give you some backup? A patrol squad can be at your location in 10. Over."

"I'd rather not get eaten by whatever else they let out of their cages. Over."

"Copy. Just stay put and the squad will be there soon. Control out."

Higgs nodded to himself. When he turned, however, he was just in time to see a figure dart into a room. "Control, either I'm seeing things, or I'm dealing with something that doesn't have a heat sig, or can hide it. Over."

"Copy that. Standby 10."

Higgs got off the line, and kept his gun at the ready in case the figure came into the room.

"H-help!" what sounded like a child's voice called out, seeming to be in distress. Higgs paused, having read all the past mission reports of the Stargate program. But, his gut told him to check it out. He kept his gun pointed forward and slowly made his way toward the sound.

Sitting in the nearby room was a small yellow and red foal, clutching his right hoof close to his chest.

"Control, run a diagnostic on the infrared sensors. Over," Higgs whispered into his walkie.

"Wilco. What are we supposed to be looking for, Higgs? Over."

"I'm seeing what appears to be a foal," he whispered. "He's... I'm assuming he, based on the voice, is clutching his hoof as if injured. Over."

"Are you sure? We're not getting anything up here Higgs. Over."

"Well, I know what I'm seeing," Higgs replied. "Do we have any cameras in this section? Over."

"Negative. Over."

"Please," the foal whimpered, giving Higgs a pleading look, "It hurts..."

"...This is gonna bite me in the ass, I just know it," he grumbled. Into his radio he said, "Higgs out." He then walked over to the foal and knelt down. "Hey little guy, let me take a look at that hoof." The foal whimpered, holding out his hoof. Higgs took hold of it gently, examining it. "Alright, this doesn't look serious." He pulled out a small first aid kit and tended to the hoof.

"Thanks," the foal said, looking down at his hoof.

"Don't mention it," Higgs said with a smile. "Now, what's your name?"

"Razor."

"My name is Higgs, it's nice to meet you, Razor. How did you get in here?"

"I hid among the rocks and got taken in the big metal thing."

"Do you mean a Jumper?" Higgs asked. "Did this big metal thing fly?"

"Yeah." Razor nodded. "I thought I could find food."

"Well, we have plenty of food in the mess hall," Higgs said. "What would you like to eat?"

"Do you have... meat?" Razor asked carefully.

"Heh, yeah, we've got meat," Higgs replied with a chuckle. "We've got fish, beef, chicken and pork."

"I would like some of that."

"Sure thing, Razor," Higgs replied. "Do you want me to carry you there?"

"You wouldn't mind?" Razor asked, a little surprised.

"No way, you don't look heavy at all," Higgs said, scooping Razor up in his arms. "Plus, your hoof is still healing. I can't let you put weight on it 'til a real doctor takes a look at it."

"Thank you." Razor got comfy, looking up at him.

"So Razor, where are you from?" Higgs asked as he walked towards the mess hall.

"Lothering," the foal responded.

"Sounds like an interesting place," Higgs said, turning a corner into another hallway. "What's it like?"

"Poor. The adjudicator takes most of their crops."

"Their?" Higgs repeated. "Is your family in a trade or something?"

"I guess you could say that," Razor squirmed slightly, rather uncomfortable with the question.

"Well, what about you? What do you do for fun?"

"I like to sneak out and mess with the ponies." Razor grinned, showing off a small pair of fangs. "Make them think the Mantis is gonna get 'em."

"Uh huh," Higgs said, adjusting Razor in his arms. "So you're a little trickster huh? Well, I played my fair share of pranks when I was about your age."

"Any good ones?" Razor asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Heh, one time I snuck into the faculty bathroom of my school and put superglue on the toilet seat. The principal wound up getting stuck there for hours before the fire department was called and got him off it."

"That's hilarious." Razor frowned. "Whats a 'skool'?"

"A school is a place where kids learn about all sorts of things," Higgs explained.

"Sounds boring. Mother teaches me everything I need to know," Razor replied, sticking his nose up in the air.

"Heh, a lot of kids think school is boring." Higgs chuckled and ruffled his mane. "Lord knows I was one of 'em."

"Stop that!" Razor hissed, batting a hoof at Higgs' hand, "You'll ruin my disguise."

"Fine, fine, be fussy." Higgs chuckled, though he noted the word disguise.

 _'This may not be a pony, but it's not a threat either. It's just a kid that got lost.'_

"Higgs?" another officer asked, rounding a corner. Two others followed behind him, weapons at the ready.

"I found the figure," Higgs reported. "I think the infrared is on the fritz."

"Is that another pony? The general is not going to be happy about this."

"Yeah, he got taken by one of our Jumpers among the mineral samples we collected," Higgs said. "I'm taking him to the mess hall so he can get some food in his stomach."

"General, this is sergeant Thompson, we've caught up with Higgs. Seems one of the offworld ponies was accidentally taken among a sample of minerals. Over."

"This is Carter. How is that possible?" Carter replied over the walkie. "I haven't heard anyone report an unexpected heat signature. Over."

"I dunno ma'am, maybe the city's sensors are acting up? Over."

"I'll have the tech team take a look at them. We'll prep a Jumper to take the foal back home. Carter out," Carter said.

"Higgs wants to get the little guy something to eat first."

"And maybe a trip to the infirmary," Higgs quickly added. "He was clutching one of his hooves in pain when I found him. Over."

"Copy. That's fine; I'll send Lyra down to meet with you. Higgs, don't take too long, I'd rather not be accused of kidnapping again. Keep me informed. Over."

"Wilco. I'll make sure he just gets a quick meal and a checkup," Higgs responded. "Then Razor will be on the next flight home. Higgs out," Higgs said. He then continued down the halls with the other soldiers right behind him.

"What are you things anyway?" Razor asked, looking back at the soldiers.

"Our species is called humans," Higgs told him. "We came here from a place called Earth."

"You taste funny," Razor commented, scrunching his muzzle up.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Higgs asked, looking down at the foal. "You haven't bit me or anything."

"I don't need to bite you to eat." Razor shook his head. "You don't taste as good as the ponies."

"So what are you eating if you're not biting me?" Higgs asked, arching his brow.

"Your feelings," Razor stated with a roll of his eyes, like it was perfectly obvious.

 _'Probably gonna need to have a talk with one of the ponies about this.'_ Higgs thought.

"So what feelings taste the best?" he asked.

"Love!" Razor chirped, almost wagging his tail.

"Alright, I got an idea then." Higgs concentrated and brought up all his fondest memories of his loved ones. Razor let out a hum, licking his lips. "Seems like that's hitting the spot," Higgs commented, still reminiscing.

"Can I still have the meat?"

"Of course you can, little guy," Higgs assured, turning a corner into the mess hall.

"Hello!" Lyra trotted up, wearing a bright smile. "General Carter said you had a foal, how can I help?"

"We could probably use your help during the check up," Higgs told her. "But for now, help me keep him company while I get him a bite to eat." He set Razor down at the table and walked off to get a tray of food.

"Hi, I'm Lyra, it's nice to meet you," Lyra introduced, smiling down at Razor, "What's your name?"

"It's Razor." He sniffed the air around her. "Wow, you're really full of love!" he beamed.

Lyra's smile dropped a little. "H-how do you know that?"

"Uh... I can tell just by looking at you?" Razor gave her a weak smile, his ears pinning to his head.

"Changeling!" Lyra screamed at the top of her lungs, darting behind one of the guards, looking terrified. Razor let out an eep, his disguise dropping, revealing a small changeling covered in light brown fuzz with two fuzzy antennae next to his horn, green moth-like wings and a tiny tail that resembled a scorpion stinger as he started to run from the room.

The guards barely glanced at each other before moving in tandem to stop him.

"Don't hurt him!" Higgs shouted, putting the tray down and rushing after Razor. "He's just a kid!"

"Lemme go!" Razor hissed, glaring at the guard who had managed to grab him by his tail.

"Everyone calm down," Higgs said, coming to a stop. "Soldier, let go of his tail, that has to hurt the little guy," he told the guard. "And Razor, we're not going to harm you."

The guard reluctantly let go, allowing the changeling to dash under a table. Several people hurried away from said table, abandoning their meals. Higgs sighed and knelt by the table.

"Razor, you don't have to hide. We're not going to hurt you," he said in a soothing voice. Razor backed away, his tail raised to strike.

"Razor, I knew you weren't a pony," Higgs told him. "You gave yourself away with your disguise comment, among other things. But I still want to help you and get you home to your mother." Razor looked at him, slowly making his way towards him. "That's it, little guy, and I'm still gonna give you your food too." Higgs smiled at the young changeling. Razor smiled back, staying close to Higgs's legs. Higgs patted the little changeling's head and led him to the tray he had discarded. He piled it up with food and placed Razor on a table to eat.

"Thanks..." Razor said weakly, eating with his hooves.

"You're welcome, little guy," Higgs said. "It's my job to keep innocent beings safe." He glanced at Lyra, who was still hiding behind a rather confused guard.

"I didn't mean to scare anyone," Razor said with a pout.

"It's not your fault, Razor," Higgs assured, looking back at him. "I think Miss Heartstrings just had a bad experience in the past."

"Really?" Razor tilted his head. "Mama tells us not to hurt ponies or anything when we gather love."

"We'll just have to ask." Higgs let out a long sigh, reaching up to turn on his radio. "General, this is Higgs. Things are getting complicated. Over."

"This is Carter. What do you mean 'complicated'? Over," Carter asked, her radio crackling.

"The foal's not a pony, apparently, he's something called a changeling. Heartstrings flipped when she saw him. Over."

"I've heard these changelings mentioned before," Carter commented. "And what do you mean when you said Lyra flipped? Over."

"She screamed 'changeling' and is currently cowering behind Private Sampson, ma'am. Over."

"Okay, don't go anywhere," Carter ordered. "I am going to come in and assess the situation. Over."

"Wilco. Higgs out." He let go of his radio and looked down at Razor. "How do you like your food?"

"It's good," Razor replied, licking his lips, "Not as good as love though."

"Well, you just tell me if you want more of that," Higgs told the changeling. "It's no trouble at all." Razor grinned like a wolf, having seconds and even thirds.

"Ahh, I'm stuffed," Razor said, patting his distended chitin. He buzzed onto the table, curling up like a dog. "The others are gonna be so jealous..."

"Yeah, you're certainly gonna have a good story to tell your siblings." Higgs chuckled and patted the changeling on the head. Higgs found that Razor's fuzz was soft and fluffy, while the chitin under it was firm. It reminded him of the touch a stuffed animal. "Do you wanna tell me more about your family?" he asked, still patting him.

"Okay." Razor nodded, nuzzling his hand. Higgs smiled at the action and continued to pat him. "There's mama obviously, she keeps an eye on all of us and teaches us everything we need to know. I got lots of siblings."

"Really, how many?"

"About a hundred or so."

"I bet your mom has a hard time keeping all your names straight." Higgs chuckled.

"Drones don't have names."

"And you're not a drone?" Higgs questioned.

"No! I'm a colt!" Razor shook his head quickly. "I'm a changeling king!" He puffed up his chest. "You can tell by my tail." He brought up the little stinger.

"I-is that like a queen?" Lyra asked, peeking out from behind her hiding spot. "Also… you look very different from the changelings I'm used to."

"No, mama says that when I grow up I'm gonna leave the hive and find a queen from another," he explained. "And then that queen and I are gonna make our own hive." He frowned. "Mama hasn't really told me everything about that stuff though." He blinked, processing her words. "You have changelings too?"

"Well, you have ponies on your world too," Higgs pointed out, rubbing his head.

"Oh yeah." Razor nodded, nuzzling Higgs hand. He watched Lyra, rather curious about her.

"He's just a foal Lyra, he won't brainwash you," Lyra chanted to herself, performing Cadence's patented breathing technique.

"Brainwash?" Razor tilted his head. "How do you get brains out to clean them?"

"That's not..." Lyra sighed, stepping up to him and throwing up her best smile. Razor smiled back, his tail swishing behind him.

"Hi there," he said. "Sorry I scared you."

"No it's okay, I shouldn't have freaked out." She held her hoof out. "I'm Lyra."

"You already said that," he pointed out with a giggle, tapping her hoof with his. "And I'm Razor." Lyra flinched at the contact before loosening up.

"It's nice to meet you, Razor."

"Same here," the little changeling said, smiling brightly. "I don't get to talk to ponies in my real form much."

"Are you... nice to ponies?"

"Yeah, I mean, the worst thing I do is pull pranks on them sometimes," Razor replied.

"That's good." Lyra nodded, giving a weak smile.

"Yeah, I pretend to be the Mantis." Razor turned into a giant beast to demonstrate. It appeared to be insectoid, with a body like a centipede, the head of a mantis, and two arms tucked against its underbelly. Razor stayed in this form for only a second before shifting back. "I never hurt anyone, but one look is enough to spook them." Lyra nodded, taking a seat at the table. "So why are you here with these 'hoo-mans'?" he asked, curling up again.

"Oh, they're my friends," Lyra explained. "I stayed to learn from them."

"Yeah, they've got all sorts of stuff I've never seen before." he said with a nod. "I bet you're learning a ton." Razor looked her over. "Can I taste you?"

"Are you talking about my love?" Lyra asked, flinching slightly.

"Uh huh." Lyra bit her lip, thinking it over for a while. Her ears pinned to her head and she backed away.

"I-I can't." The mare shook her head furiously, images of her last changeling encounter flooding her mind. She turned tail, galloping out of the room as fast as she could. Razor's ear pinned to his head and he gave Higgs a pitiful look.

"I scared her again," the little changeling said.

"Hey don't worry so much." Higgs reached out, scratching the colt's ear. "You can still eat my feelings."

"Thanks." Razor smiled up at him weakly. Higgs smiled back, keeping the young changeling company until General Carter arrived.

* * *

Celestia sat across from her sister as they were in the middle of discussing ways to relay the news about the return of the Teachers' city.

"I believe our first order of business is to begin talks with town leaders who could lend land to a new location for the humans," Luna offered, grabbing a map off a shelf in her magic.

"I distinctly recall the Teachers placing their city over an inland sea," Celestia recalled, staring at the map. "I think offering them safe harbor in our waters is the best solution."

"We have no shortage of harbor cities, and the mayors will surely be more amenable to lending unused water than to lending potentially valuable land," Luna said. "Perhaps talking with the Manehattan mayor is in order?"

"As well as the mayors of Fillydelphia and Baltimare," Celestia nodded. "If we play our cards right, trade will boom."

"This will not be our first time dealing in tricky negotiations," Luna said with a chuckle.

"I suppose that's true." Celestia quickly penned a letter, sending it off.

Celestia sipped her tea, a look of thought on her face. "Of course, we'll need Miss Heartstrings here when we break the news."

"I agree, the mare deserves to take the credit for this. Being a laughing stock must be miserable." Luna said, sipping her own tea.

"I'll send a letter to Cadance and tell her to bring Miss Heartstrings to Canterlot," Celestia said. She wrote up another letter, sending it off. "We might have to proceed faster than we would like, news will travel from the Empire."

"Yes, it seems to travel much faster nowadays," Luna agreed. "It makes large undertakings even trickier."

"Shall we divvy up the responsibilities?"

"Of course, it's how we've always done things," Luna nodded.

"I will deal with..." Celestia ran the details through her mind. "Setting up the press conference and drawing up negation plans."

"And I will send word to the mayors to begin talks," Luna offered.

"Then we are agreed," Celestia smiled, taking a bite of her cake. "So, what do you think the look on Bluey's face will be when Miss Heartstrings gets her recognition?"

"I believe his jaw will hit the ground and his right eye will twitch," Luna said, grinning as she took a bite of a cookie.

"I bet he'll just stare off into space for ten minutes," Celestia giggled, sharing her sister's grin. "I think Miss Heartstrings will be getting that funding after all."

"Care to make a wager on the expression Bluey will make?" Luna asked

"How much?" Celestia raised her eyebrow, giving Luna a hard look.

"Loser has to hold court in their smaller form for a week."

"Oh, that's rather high stakes, considering our situation." Celestia took another bite of cake, mulling the wager over.

"Well, I won't blame you if you back out," Luna started, sipping her tea. "This is the mare's game after all. It takes true fortitude to take it."

"As always, you have a silver tongue, Luna." Celestia held her hoof out. "I'll take that bet."

Luna tapped her hoof against Celestia's and grinned. "I look forward to seeing your pink mane again."

"And I look forward to seeing you struggle to keep your crown on."

"We shall see who has trouble with their crown once Miss Heartstrings relays the news to Bluey." Luna chuckled. They chatted for a few minutes more before parting ways, they both had tasks to complete.


	10. Sheut Part 2

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Sheut [Part 2]

"Want some more crystal berries?" Citrine asked, offering another plate to Floyd.

"Oh, no thanks, Citrine," Floyd declined with a smile. It had been a few hours since he had left Dr. Jackson, and he had been roped into spending time with a pair of crystal crafters.

Citrine was a translucent yellow pony with an orange mane and an infectious smile. "Are you sure? You can have as much as you like!" She placed the plate on the table, taking her own seat.

"I've already had two plates of the things, Citrine." Floyd chuckled and patted his full stomach. "You feed me more of them and I'm gonna burst."

"Citrine is just excited," her husband, Lapis Lazuli, explained. He was very much like his namesake, with a deep blue coat. His mane, however, reminded Floyd of moonstone.

"You're not gonna hear me complain," Floyd waved off. "I just don't want the two of you to clean up bits of me from your home."

"You humans look so much like the Teachers," Citrine reached out, touching his arm. "I can't even tell the difference."

"We're descended from them," Floyd reiterated. "It's the reason some of us can activate their tech."

"Is that why you have one of their amulets?" Lapis asked, pointing to the pendant hanging from his neck.

"Well, this thing kinda... called to me," Floyd admitted, putting his hand on the amulet. "It's sorta hard to explain."

"I... can't quite recall what they were for, but..." Lapis frowned, muzzle scrunched up in thought, "I do know they were important."

"I'm sure I'll figure it out at some point," Floyd assured him. "Until I do though, I'll just keep it safe." He looked between them, a smile growing across his face. "Hey, why don't the two of you show me a bit about how you work?"

"We'd be happy to," Citrine replied as she stood up. "The workshop is this way." Floyd rose up from his seat, hefting his camera over his shoulder. He followed after his hosts, getting ready to start filming. Citrine led him through a doorway into a room full of tools. There was a young mare already there whose color seemed to shift depending on how the light hit her. She hummed happily to herself as she used one of the tools on a ruby.

"Floyd, this is our daughter, Alexandrite," Lapis introduced, putting an arm around the mare. "Alexandrite, this is Floyd Hendrix, he's a human."

"Oh my, you certainly look unique," Alexandrite said, looking Floyd over with curious eyes.

"I get that a lot," Floyd chuckled, turning his camera on. "Is it alright if I record?"

"It's fine by me," Alex assured him. "Is there anything in particular you want me to do?"

"How about you walk me through what you're doing?" he asked, training the camera on her.

"I'd be glad to," Alex smiled brightly at him and picked up the ruby she was working on. "The very first step to crystal crafting is to inspect your material. See this ruby? I examined it to see if I could find any flaws in its color, density or luster."

"I take it you only want the finest quality ones?"

"Of course," Alex nodded, "if the material is inferior, the final product will be, too. But if you look closely at this ruby, it's a flawless specimen."

"What are you making?"

"I'm making a heart shape," Alex explained, grabbing her tool. "I'm getting an early start on decorations for the festival."

"The Heartsong festival is coming up," Citrine supplied the answer to the unspoken question. "It's a celebration of young love and lots of young ponies confess their feelings to their special somepony."

"Lucky for me, though, the festivities are open to ponies without a date as well," Alex chimed in with a laugh as she continued to work on the ruby.

"You don't have anyone?" Floyd guessed.

"No, I haven't found a stallion that's caught my eye yet," the young mare replied. Citrine gave Lapis a subtle look, gesturing to the pair. Her husband smiled softly and nodded.

"Do you have anyone, Floyd?" Citrine asked, moving to stand beside him.

"Nah, I was dumped a few months before I got the notice to join the mission," Floyd explained, zooming in on the ruby. Citrine smiled brightly, nodding at Lapis.

"Would you like to stay for dinner, Floyd?" Lapis asked. "We can talk more about our job and the Heartsong festival."

"I'll have to let my boss know, but I think he'll be okay with it."

"Perfect, and I'll be sure to give you something other than crystal berries," Citrine joked with a bright smile. "How does crystal stew sound?"

"That depends, are crystal berries in crystal stew?" Floyd asked with a chuckle.

"No, just some crystal vegetables and spices." Citrine rubbed her chin. "I could throw in some meat if you'd like."

"You don't have to do that just for me," Floyd waved off. "I can handle a vegetarian meal every now and then."

"We keep some around for griffon clients," Alexandrite giggled, putting the ruby down. "You'd be surprised how many of them we get up here."

"Then do whatever makes you most comfortable," Floyd relented. "I'm not very picky." Citrine nodded, trotting out of the room. Floyd turned back to Alex. "Can I get some more footage of your work before dinner is served?"

"Of course, but, didn't you say you had to talk to your boss?" Alex asked, grabbing a few tools with her hooves.

"Yeah, I guess I'd better get right on that." Floyd grabbed his walkie talkie and pressed the talk button. "Hey Doc, is it okay if I stay out a bit longer? This family I'm getting footage of is offering me dinner."

"I suppose that's alright," Jackson replied. "Just don't get into trouble."

"You don't have to worry about that, Doc," Floyd assured him. "I've been on my best behavior. I don't think I'm gonna have any issues on my end."

"We'll be staying in the palace tonight," Jackson said. "When you're done eating, radio me and Princess Cadance can send someone to get you."

"I don't think that's gonna be necessary, Doc," Floyd chuckled. "I'm pretty sure I can find the giant palace on my own. And all the ponies here love us, so I'm not gonna be in any danger."

"Just don't do anything that makes us look bad."

"Rest assured, Doc, I've been a perfect gentleman this whole time," Floyd said with a grin. "And I plan on keeping it that way." He got his camera trained on Alex again, giving her a thumbs up. "Now, let's get started."

"Alright," Alexandrite said, chipping away at the ruby. "I'll create something spectacular for the sake of your recording."

"Mind narrating?" Floyd asked, making sure he wasn't in the way.

"I'll try," she replied. "But I'm not used to doing something like that so bear with me if it isn't very good." She cleared her throat and started to talk about her techniques and the tools she chose as she slowly but surely started to shape the ruby into a heart.

Soon enough it was finished, and not a second later, Citrine called them for dinner.

"Come on," Alexandrite said, putting her tools away, "you can record an average Crystal Empire meal." She smiled up at Floyd.

"I suppose I can." Floyd smiled back, following her to the kitchen. "I can't imagine it's any different from most meals."

"So your people have magic, crystalline vegetables too?" Alexandrite asked with a knowing smirk.

"Uh... no, no we do not." He set his camera down by the door, making sure to wash his hands. "So, got me there."

"Though I hope the table manners will be the same," Alexandrite said, washing her hooves.

"I assure you I have great table manners." He winked at her, smiling as he got a giggle out of her.

"That's good to hear, but we're not too uptight about that sort of thing in this house," Citrine told him, setting down bowls of stew around the kitchen table. "The only real rules are to clean your plate and compliment the chef." She giggled at her little joke.

"I can do both of those things." Floyd licked his lips, taking in a whiff of the stew.

"And how would you feel about a glass of crystal wine?" Lapis asked, grabbing a bottle from the pantry.

"I don't think I'm allowed to drink on the job..." Floyd looked at the bottle, not wanting to piss of either of his bosses.

"One glass won't hurt anything, unless you can't handle your alcohol or something?" Alexandrite looked up at him.

"If I get fired, I'm blaming you guys." Floyd held his hands up, finally relenting.

"Just say it was part of your cultural exchange," Citrine said with a giggle as Lapis poured four glasses of wine. Floyd took his, giving the wine an appraising sip.

"Hmm, this is pretty good stuff," Floyd said as he licked his lips. "Would almost make getting fired worth it." He took another sip, leaning back in his chair. "I might need to buy myself a bottle."

"I'm sure we could give you a bottle," Lapis said, starting to eat his stew. "It wouldn't be any trouble at all."

"I don't want you to go out of your way." Floyd let out a hum of delight as he took a spoonful of stew. "Damn, that's good."

"It's always nice to have my cooking appreciated," Citrine beamed as she began her own meal. "Though perhaps I should have you cook next time." She looked at her daughter.

"You know I can't cook," Alexandrite rolled her eyes. "I'd just end up burning everything again."

"It's never too late to learn," Citrine told her, sipping her wine. "I wasn't always this good. In fact, I was just as bad when my own mother taught me how to cook." Alexandrite just rolled her eyes, not bothering to give a response.

"I'd be interested in learning how to cook living crystal," Floyd chimed in. "It would make for some good footage, too."

"I'd love to teach you," Citrine responded with a smile. "Come on, Alexandrite, I could teach you both."

"Fine," Alexandrite relented with a sigh, though there was a small smile on her face. "I guess knowing how to cook will be useful." Citrine beamed, subtly nudging her husband. He nudged her back, their plan proceeding beautifully.

The rest of dinner went smoothly, and after giving his goodbyes, Floyd grabbed his camera and made his way back to the palace, a pleasant buzz filling his head and an unopened bottle of crystal wine in his free hand. He hummed softly, adjusting his camera every so often as he made it to the palace gates. The guards let him pass and one of them showed him to his room.

"Thanks, guys." He waved them off before putting his camera down and kicking his shoes off. He stripped down to his pants, climbing into the bed. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, his amulet shining in the darkness of his room.

* * *

The next morning Floyd was woken up by the sound of a crystal guard knocking on his door. He quickly went through his morning routine and followed the guard to the dining hall.

Despite being made of crystal, the palace didn't reflect light as much as Floyd thought it would. The dining room was huge, at least the size of an average high school gym. He found Daniel Jackson and their pilot, who Cadance had obviously coaxed into leaving the Jumper. The princess sat at one end of the table, next to a white stallion that Floyd assumed was her husband.

"Hey guys, I miss anything last night?" Floyd asked, taking a seat next to Dr. Jackson, trying to ignore his headache.

"I made some progress with the translations on the Heart," Dr. Jackson started. "I've even translated a couple of the words that are part of the branch dialect. It's fascinating stuff."

"Floyd," Cadance spoke up getting his attention, "This is my husband, Shining Armor." She gestured to the stallion next to her. "Shiny, this is Floyd."

"It's nice to meet you, Shining Armor." Floyd nodded at the unicorn stallion. "I'm sure you're glad to have your lovely wife back."

"I'm glad to have her back," Shining Armor agreed, wrapping an arm around Cadance and nuzzling her neck. "If she does something like that again, I'm going to glue her to the Crystal Heart."

"Pretty sure it was the Crystal Heart that got me in the mess in the first place," Cadance teased, kissing his cheek. "Plus, there's way better things I'd rather be glued to." She winked at her husband. She giggled at his blush, tapping her hooves together. "I hope everypony is hungry, the chefs put together some great treats for us this morning."

"After tasting what the average citizen eats, I'm looking forward to see what royalty here eats." Floyd licked his lips and looked towards the kitchen. After a call from Cadance, a pair of ponies emerged from the kitchen, each pushing a cart of crystal food. They moved along the table, setting out plates as they went.

"So, have you learned anything interesting about the culture during your filming?" Daniel asked, picking up his cutlery.

"There's a festival for couples coming up," Floyd absentmindedly rubbed at his head, grabbing what looked like an eclair made out of amethyst.

"Ooh, the Heartsong Festival!" Cadance chimed in. "I've been looking forward to it ever since I've heard about it. I've even added some modern touches to the festivities. Like a tunnel of love." She nuzzled her husband. "And Shiny and I are the couple of honor for it."

"Reminds me of Valentine's day," Floyd commented. He decided to just grin and bear the headache, not wanting to test his luck with alien medicine just yet.

"Would you like a cup of coffee or tea, sir?" a server asked, standing behind Floyd. Floyd jumped a little, glancing back at him.

"Got anything for headaches?" Floyd chanced, deciding to just say hell with it.

"Our Zebrican herbal blend tea is good for a variety of minor ailments," the waiter suggested.

"I'll take that then, please." The waiter nodded and walked over to take more orders.

"Are you coming down with something?" Dr. Jackson asked, a concerned look on his face.

"I just have a migraine," Floyd waved off. "I got goaded into drinking a cup of wine last night, but I only got a buzz."

"I've been goaded into drinking local alcohols several times myself," Jackson told him. "I'm just glad you stopped before you got really drunk."

"And get you and the General mad at me? No thanks." Floyd shook his head, taking a bite out of his eclair. "So, whatcha translate?"

"Bits and pieces so far," replied. "But some of it looks like a message to the ponies of the Crystal Empire."

"Yeah?"

"Judging from some of the context, it was a goodbye message," he explained. "I think the Crystal Heart was made to help the ponies of the Crystal Empire in case the plague took them."

"It's powered by the crystal ponies' collective goodwill," Cadance cut in. "A festival is held every year to recharge it."

"That makes sense," Floyd said. "That's probably the best energy source they could think of. I don't think you guys are going to run out of goodwill anytime soon."

"I'll be leaving for Shangri-La once we're done eating," Dr. Jackson said, taking a sip of his coffee. "It seems we had a stowaway on our survey mission and I've been asked to help smooth things over as we return him home."

"I take it I'll be staying here?" Floyd asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes, you won't be needed for this mission," Dr. Jackson told him. "You'll be staying here until I give you another assignment."

"I can work with that." Floyd nodded, giving the doctor a smile.

"Just keep conducting yourself as you have been and there won't be any issues," Jackson replied.

"I won't let you down."

Daniel smiled and nodded and the meal continued with some light chatter. Eventually, Jackson and the pilot left, leaving Floyd with Cadance and Shining Armor. A pair of guards escorted him to the Jumper, more as a formality than anything else. Dr. Jackson and the pilot stepped into the ship and it took off for Shangri-La.

"Nice place," the pilot spoke up.

"I agree, the people are nice, the architecture is interesting, and we didn't have a single weapon pointed at us. That puts it among the best places the program has led us to," Dr. Jackson replied.

"That guard the princess had keep me company was a pretty interesting guy. Didn't think I'd ever see a pegasus."

"Or unicorns," Dr. Jackson added. "So what did you and that guard talk about? The weather?" He chuckled a little at his joke.

"That's putting it mildly. Guy actually walked on a cloud. Hell, he flew up, grabbed one, and brought it down to the ground."

"...This is easily the strangest planet we've ever visited," Jackson said. "And that's saying something. Did you catch this guard's name?"

"Guy said his name was Flash Sentry."

"So he's a guard with a synonym of guard in his name," Jackson commented. "These ponies are certainly spot on with their names."

"As long as they don't try to suck the life out of me, everything's good."

"You won't have to worry there, these ponies are vegetarians. They're on a strict no life-force diet," Jackson joked.

The rest of the trip went by quietly, with the two men only partaking in sparse small talk. Once they landed, Jackson headed for the control room, where he was greeted by a tired looking General Carter.

"Daniel, you're finally here," she said, a soft smile on her face.

"Much to the disappointment of my hosts," Daniel leaned on a counter. "So... you wanted me to help take a kid back?"

"His name is Razor," Carter said.

"Ooh, what's that?!" A small voice in the distance asked, followed quickly by a crashing sound.

"He's a little more... energetic than the other children I've kept an eye on," Carter said with a sigh. "I originally asked Lyra, when we thought he was a pony, to have her help take him back to that village. But when she found out he was a changeling, she had a panic attack."

"Lyra was also asked to go to Canterlot for the Shangri-La announcement," Jackson said. "I don't think she can be two places at once, even with magic."

"I'll send her to Cadance as soon as she's calmed down," Carter assured. "Apparently, the changeling queen that tried to depose Celestia brainwashed her."

"Sounds like she has PTSD," Jackson commented with a frown.

"Maybe," Carter shrugged. "Either way, things should calm down once Razor is back."

"Here's hoping you didn't just jinx us with that comment," Daniel said with a sigh.

"They're ready to leave whenever you are."

"All right, I'll head on down." Daniel quickly turned on his heel and exited the room, headed back to the Jumper bay. Higgs was waiting for him, Razor curled up in his arms.

"Hi!" Razor chirped, waving at the newcomer.

"And you must be Razor," Daniel smiled and approached Higgs. "I'm Doctor Daniel Jackson; it's nice to meet you."

"We're ready to go whenever you are, sir," Higgs gestured to the awaiting Jumper.

"I'm not military, so you don't have to call me 'sir,'" Dr. Jackson pointed out as he walked onto the Jumper. Higgs shrugged, following him on.

Several moments later they got the okay from Control, the Jumper descending into the gateroom. The chevrons lit up one by one until the seventh locked into place. The wormhole was established and the Jumper passed through the gate.

"That's weird!" Razor complained, shivering a little.

"Yeah, the cold feeling passes quickly," Higgs assured, petting the changeling on the head.

"Razor," Doctor Jackson spoke, getting the changeling's attention. "How mad are your people going to be?"

"Uh..." Razor paused, tilting his head in thought. "I dunno, this has never happened before."

"Oh this'll be fun," Dr. Jackson sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Let's just hope that Razor's mother listens to the little guy when he explains things to her," Higgs offered.

"I'll do my best!" Razor proclaimed confidently, puffing his chest out.

"I know you will, little buddy," Higgs smiled and rubbed the top of his head.

"Don't worry Doc," one of the soldiers spoke up. "If things get ugly, we got you covered." It was then Dr. Jackson realized they were all armed with Wraith stunners.

"Good choice in the non-lethal force, everybody," Dr. Jackson said, smiling a little at the soldiers. "This is a diplomatic mission after all."

"We're almost there," the pilot informed. Razor brightened at the news while the soldiers all made last minute adjustments to their equipment.

"I'll take the lead," Dr. Jackson informed as the Jumper landed in front of Razor's cave. "I even brought chocolate this time," he joked, patting his vest.

"You'd be better off thinking about your loved ones," Higgs chimed in. "Changelings feed on emotions and love is their favorite."

"Right." Dr. Jackson stepped out of the Jumper and found himself missing having more than just a pistol. He cleared his throat, stepping up to the cave's mouth. "Uh, hello! One of your young ones snuck back to our home with us. We brought him back, safe and sound."

Nothing happened for a few minutes, an intense quiet settling over them. Daniel gazed around anxiously, his hand moving toward his side arm. A flicker of movement caught his eye and he turned to see an changeling glaring at him. A rock to his left exploded into green flames, transforming into another, angry changeling.

All around them, various objects and plants transformed into changelings, hissing and snarling at the humans.

"Give us Razor!" one of the drones demanded, their moth-like wings fluttering in agitation.

"Siblings, it's okay!" Razor shouted, hopping out of Higgs' arms. "They fed me and everything!" The drones looked amongst themselves.

"Razor is telling the truth," the first one said.

"Yes, he seems to have fed on plenty of love," one agreed.

"We took great care of him." Jackson looked between them, giving his best smile.

"We shall take them to mother," another said, turning around. "She will want to hear all this."

"No need for that, my child," a distorted feminine voice spoke up. A changeling rivaling Celestia in size stepped out of the cave, gazing at the humans with deep violet eyes. Like the others, she resembled a moth, but unlike them she had human-like eyes, a long horn and an actual mane that was the same violet as her eyes. "Come to me, Razor," the obvious queen said, tapping the ground in front of her with a hoof.

The younger changeling obeyed, galloping over to her. "I'm sorry, mother..." he hung his head, his antenna drooping. "I got scared and hid as a rock. They didn't mean to take me." The queen let out a sigh, sitting down and scooping her child into her hooves. She nuzzled him, their antennae rubbing together.

"I believe you, my precious little king. I will do nothing to these strange creatures. You, on the other hoof, are going to be punished." She gave Razor a pointed look. "The village will not be seeing 'The Mantis' for quite some time."

Razor pouted, nuzzling into her fuzz. "Yes, mother..."

"We are very sorry for this misunderstanding," Dr. Jackson said, bowing his head to the queen. "We were only trying to examine minerals and materials on this planet. We were completely unaware of your people's ability to shapeshift into anything."

"Razor is safe and you don't seem to be lying." The queen looked them over, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I have never seen creatures like you before..." Realization dawned on her face. "You came through the portal."

"We call it the stargate," Daniel confirmed with a nod.

The changelings around them hissed, getting rather agitated.

"Uh, is there any reason that they're hissing at us?" Higgs asked, adjusting his stunner.

"Only the Adjudicator's people come through the gate." The queen rose to her hooves, placing Razor onto her back.

"We could teach you how to operate the gate if you'd like," Dr. Jackson offered. "Consider it an act of goodwill to further our peoples relations."

"And bring death upon my hive?!" The queen scoffed, backing away from them. "You're mad."

"What do you mean by that?" Dr. Jackson asked with a confused look.

"The Adjudicator is known to raze entire villages for even touching the ring."

"Seems we'll have to have a word with this Adjudicator," Higgs commented, his face contorting into a frown. "We'll leave and come back with something other than stunners."

"Hey uh, Doc," one of the other soldiers spoke up.

"What is it?" Dr. Jackson asked, turning toward the soldier.

"Did the General say anything about sending backup?"

"No, she didn't... why?" Dr. Jackson asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"Because I see at least three Jumpers heading this way," the soldier responded.

"Ma'am, may we take cover in your cave?" Dr. Jackson asked, looking at the queen with widening eyes.

"Quickly." The queen nodded, ushering the other changelings into the cave. The humans didn't need further instruction, running in after them. The strange Jumpers flew over them, completely ignoring the group.

"Does anyone have an explanation about that?" Higgs asked, looking between everyone.

"They're heading to the village," the queen explained, her voice full of sadness.

"But how are they operating the Jumpers?" a soldier asked. "They'd need the ATA gene to do that. Is it the Ori?"

"The Ori are gone," Jackson assured them. "Carter will dial in when we don't check back. We just have to wait until then." He turned to the queen. "Do you know anything about the ones in those ships?"

"My grandmother told me of them," the queen recounted, leading them deeper into the cave. "They are ponies made of shadow."

"This still doesn't explain the Jumpers," Higgs frowned. "Things are finally starting to look like a typical SGC mission around here. Guess it couldn't be sunshine and rainbows forever." Before anyone could respond, a sound could be heard in the distance. One of the soldiers peered out of the cave to see that one of the strange Jumpers had landed not too far from their position.

"Shit, we've got company," the soldier cursed.

"And now I wish we brought actual guns," Higgs lamented, readying his stunner.

"I did," Daniel said, readying his pistol. "But I don't know how effective it will be against shadow ponies."

"Looks like we'll find out, huh?"


	11. Sheut Part 3

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Sheut [Part 3]

Dr. Jackson, the group of soldiers, and the hive of changelings watched the strange Jumper for any signs of life. Their breath caught in their throats as the ship's door opened. A flurry of smoke poured out of the back, splitting into three clouds. They hovered at the cave mouth before condensing into a trio of jet-black ponies. One seemed like a silhouette of a unicorn, the next a pegasus and the final one was an earth pony. Each one had a set of glowing eyes that shined bright in the dark cave.

"Ponies made of shadow, now I've seen everything," Jackson muttered under his breath.

"We know you're in there, insects," the unicorn spoke, her tone reminding Daniel of the Goa'uld. "Present yourselves or we'll bring this cave down on your heads."

"You heard them, let's present ourselves," Dr. Jackson said, raising his pistol. "Does anyone have a flashbang?"

The queen passed Razor to one of her drones, walking into sight, her head bowed. "Greetings, shadowed ones, what brings you to my hive?"

"There has been activity with the Astria Porta, we are in the midst of questioning the village. Did you activate the portal?" the pegasus interrogated.

"Of course not," the queen assured her, "we know better than to break your rules."

"Someone must have activated it, and the device that operates the portal is closer to your hive than it is to the village," the earth pony argued.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"We will call you whatever we wish," the unicorn said, her horn lighting up. "You are a queen only among changelings." The queen hissed, but kept herself under control. "Now, do you know anything about the activation of the portal?"

"Not in the slightest," the queen insisted.

"We will have to question your entire hive," the pegasus said, taking a step towards the queen.

"Why? We speak with one mind." The queen frowned, holding her ground.

"But their will is easier to break if you are lying," the Earth pony replied with a laugh.

"You will not hurt my children!" the queen snarled, flaring her wings out.

"No harm will come to them if we believe what they tell us," the pegasus assured the queen as she stepped to the mouth of the cave.

"And we will be thorough," the earth pony added.

"Should I throw that flashbang now?" Higgs asked, unclipping the grenade from his belt as he looked at Daniel.

"Think it'll work?" Daniel asked, watching the scene carefully.

"They _are_ made of shadow," Higgs said, "a bright flash of light might do more than bullets."

"I have given you an answer," the queen spat, "if you do not find it satisfying then that's not my problem."

"It will be your problem," the pegasus growled, stepping closer towards the rest of the hive. She growled back, her horn glowing.

"You can use the flashbang now," Daniel said, motioning at Higgs. Higgs nodded, tossing it out at their hooves.

"What in the name of Gro...?" The unicorn was cut off as the flashbang went off and the three shadow ponies along with the queen hissed in pain. The bodies of the shadow ponies twisted and distorted, almost threatening to burst into shadows once more. A couple of drones rushed out, grabbing their disoriented queen while the shadow ponies were paralyzed. They quickly returned her into the cave, letting her feed on some love energy to help her recover.

"If anyone else has flashbangs, use them now!" Daniel ordered. The other soldiers compiled, tossing out several more. The shadow unicorn regained her senses, summoning up a wall of red crystal to deflect the flashbangs. The flashbangs went off harmlessly, though Daniel couldn't say that about his ringing ears. "Well, this just makes things more difficult," he grumbled. "Higgs, you're in charge now. I'm not a tactician."

"Is there another way out of here?" Higgs asked, turning to the queen.

"Yes, I can lead you to one," the queen said with a nod.

"You know they're going to retaliate against you for this," Daniel frowned. "Why didn't you turn us over?"

"You returned my son to me safely," the queen stated simply. "We do not betray those who would do something like that for our hive. Now come." She turned and started to trot quickly into the cave.

Daniel followed after her, internally debating their options. The shadow ponies would definitely seek revenge and he doubted the changelings would survive. "How long would it take you to evacuate your people?"

"It would be a matter of minutes," the queen replied. "It would be even faster had I not laid a clutch of eggs recently."

"Okay," Daniel nodded, looking at the soldiers. "I need one of you to run back to the gate and dial the city."

"I can do that sir," one soldier said, running off.

"I was going to tell him to tell Carter to expect at least a hundred guests..." Daniel muttered, shaking his head. "How far is it to the village?" He turned to the queen.

"Not far, a ten minute flight for us," the queen replied. "And on hoof it would be a little under an hour."

"Okay, okay." Higgs looked over his shoulder, back toward the shadow ponies. "We need to get the changelings out of here and try and save the village." He looked amongst the group. "Does anyone besides Private Kirk have the Ancient gene?"

"I do, sir," one soldier chimed in. "The tech isn't as responsive with me as it is with Kirk, but I can get a Jumper in the air."

"Alright then, Nomura, you're with me," Higgs smirked. "Let's steal us a Jumper."

"I've still got flashbangs sir," another soldier chimed in, handing them to Higgs. "You'll need them more than we will." Higgs nodded, clipping them to his vest.

"Kirk, you're with Doctor Jackson, get eyes on that village asap."

"You got it," Kirk replied. "Come on, everyone, double time!" The group split apart, the changelings fleeing their home. The queen personally retrieved her eggs, cradling them close to her chest. Higgs and Nomura found cover mere feet from the shadow ponies.

"Make a run for the Jumper," Higgs said. "I'll provide covering fire." Corporal Nomura bolted for the shadow ponies' Jumper. The shadow ponies turned toward Nomura and Higgs lobbed a flash bang directly in the middle of them.

"Cursed monkey!" the unicorn hissed, barely managing to raise a crystal wall.

"We're humans, not monkeys," Higgs said with a smirk, tossing a flashbang over the wall. "I figured you'd wanna know what to yell while we're kicking your inky asses!"

They shrieked in pain, the wall crumbling away. The earth pony snarled, barreling towards Higgs. Higgs pulled out his stunner and fired it right between the earth pony's glowing eyes. The earth pony exploded into shadow, blowing right past Higgs.

"Nomura, stunners are a viable option!" Higgs shouted, firing the stunner at the few wriggling wisps of shadow that had been the Earth pony. The unicorn threw up another wall, protecting her ailing comrade.

"What rock did you hide under all these years?" she demanded, her eyes starting to produce purple smoke.

"Ah, ah, ah," Higgs said, lobbing another flashbang over the crystal wall, "you didn't say the magic word."

"Your words do not amuse me." It came careening back at him, going off at his feet.

"Shit," Higgs said, staggering as there were spots in his eyes and a ringing in his ear. "Nomura better be close to that Jumper," he muttered as he started blindly firing his stunner in the direction of the shadow ponies as his vision slowly returned.

A strong gust of wind sent him stumbling, nearly knocking his stunner out of his hands. Higgs gritted his teeth and stood his ground, digging his feet in the dirt as he kept firing.

"Sir! Jumper is ready!" Nomura's voice called out. Higgs started running towards the sound of Nomura's voice. Just as he was entering the Jumper, a crystal shard launched by the shadow unicorn embedded itself in his leg. Higgs cried out in pain as the Jumper started to rise.

"Get on the horn with Doctor Jackson and meet up with them," Higgs ordered as he clutched his wound.

* * *

While Higgs and Nomura were fighting the shadow ponies, Daniel, the rest of the soldiers, and the changelings were running through the network of caves. Before joining the Stargate program, this kind of activity would have had Daniel huffing and puffing, but years of running for his life had conditioned his body.

"I really didn't miss the running..." Daniel muttered to himself checking his sidearm for what had to be the eighth time. Granted, he had no idea if it would actually _harm_ things made out of shadow, but it was reassuring nonetheless.

"Shield your eyes!" the queen instructed. "We are almost out of the caves!" Daniel took her advice, cringing as a few rays of light hit his eyes. They all slowed down slightly as they went down a gentle slope leading out of the cave and into a field. "If we keep this pace, we will be at the village before an hour passes!" the queen assured.

"That's probably going to be too late if those shadow ponies are already in the village," Daniel replied, blinking his eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight.

"Our other option would be for us to teleport all of you," the queen replied. "Though it will cause some nausea and disorientation due to the number of you and the distance."

"Can't be any worse than gate travel," Daniel replied, giving her a nod.

"As you wish." The queen nodded in return, a sickly purple ring of flame appearing around them. Before Daniel could ask what was going on, they sank into the ground, only to be expelled at the village outskirts.

"Okay, that _was_ worse than gate travel," Daniel muttered, clutching his head.

"I warned you," the queen responded, checking on her eggs. Satisfied they were safe, she turned her head towards the village. "I shall accompany you." She passed the eggs to several drones, who flew off toward the gate. Most of the drones left for the gate, the rest staying behind to protect their queen.

"Alright, everyone, weapons ready," Daniel said, moving towards the village. "There might still be shadow ponies here. Our best bet is to stick to the walls and see if we can catch them off guard."

"I thought you weren't a tactician?" Kirk joked, doing his best to lighten the mood.

"I've taken part in enough drills with General O'Neill to have picked up a few tricks," Daniel replied with a small smile as the crept into the village. The village was like every early European style village Daniel had seen, haphazardly planned and made up of ramshackle homes with thatched roofs. It was based around a sturdier and larger building next to a well in the center. Daniel guessed it was either used for religious purposes, or to house their leader.

The villagers were gathered in the square directly in front of the largest building, at least six shadow ponies standing around the square.

"Do not make me repeat myself!" A shadow unicorn shouted, his voice deep and hateful. "Which one of you activated the portal?!" None of the villagers spoke up, cowering in fear from the shadow unicorn screaming at them. "Pathetic wretches!" The unicorn lit his horn, sending a wave of red crystals towards one of the more elderly ponies. Said pony cried out in pain, crystal spikes impaling his body.

"Okay, everyone, train your stunners on that unicorn," Daniel said. "Let's see how they handle them." The soldiers nodded and took aim. They all fired, catching the unicorn unaware as the stunners found their mark. The unicorn screeched in pain, his body exploding into smoke. "Looks like stunners do quite a bit." Daniel said with a smile. "Alright, everybody, spread out and look for more of these shadow ponies. Hit and run tactics are the key here."

"What insolence is this?" One of the other shadow ponies, a large pegasus in silver armor, flapped his wings, filling the area with a thick smog. The soldiers didn't answer, sticking to alleys and the shadows as they fanned out through the town. Kirk then poked out from behind cover to fire a shot at the armored pegasus's uncovered face.

The pegasus dissolved into shadow, darting out of the way. He reformed in the sky, flapping his wings and sending down a rain of razor-sharp feathers. Kirk dove behind cover, while the feathers embedded themselves in a rain barrel and part of the nearby home. Then, another soldier took aim and fired on the pegasus's back.

A shadow earth pony heaved a cart into the air, blocking the shot. He reared up onto his hind legs, bringing his front hooves down with as much force as he could muster. Crystals shot out from where his hooves hit the ground, careening towards the soldier's cover. The soldier cursed under her breath, diving out of the way in the nick of time as the crystals stabbed into the building she had been hiding behind.

"That's right, scurry like roaches," the earth pony taunted, rearing up for another strike. He didn't get to finish as Kirk poked out from where he had been hiding and shot the shadow pony in the back in the head. The shadow pony hissed, his form distorting, black smoke pouring off his wound. Kirk and the female soldier didn't let up, both of them firing on the pony while it hissed in pain.

"Enough!" The remaining shadow unicorn snarled, tossing Kirk into a building with a bolt of magic. Kirk groaned in pain, his head swimming as he tried to pick himself up.

"I hate magic already," the man grumbled, standing on shaky feet. He barely had time to dive to the ground, a cluster of feathers raining down on him. The female soldier fired on the pegasus in the air, managing to hit it between the eyes. He exploded into wisps, his armor falling to the ground. Kirk and the female soldier sighed in relief while the shadow unicorn and earth pony roared in frustration. Then, the other soldier popped out again and fired on the unicorn while they were distracted.

The unicorn melted into shadows, worming away from her sights. Then he reappeared and shot out a wave of magic towards the soldier. Unlike the magic he used on Kirk, this seemed to crystallize upon contact, encasing her chest and arms in crystal. Kirk fired upon the unicorn while the other female soldier went over to help their comrade.

The unicorn began to melt again, only for a nearby box to reveal itself as the changeling queen. She jerked her head, spitting goo in the unicorn's face. The unicorn grunted, trying to melt into shadow again, only to find they were unable to.

"You putrid bug!" the unicorn snarled. Daniel leaned out from behind a house, training his pistol on the unicorn's horn. He squeezed the trigger three times, letting out a trio of bullets. The unicorn screamed in pain as the tip of their horn broke off.

"That sounded like it hurt," Kirk commented, taking another shot at the unicorn. The unicorn let out one last scream as he dissolved into wisps of shadow. The earth pony growled, slamming his hind legs into the ground again and sending crystals out towards Kirk.

The queen dashed out of hiding, ramming into Kirk and knocking them both out of the way.

"Thanks for that," Kirk said, pulling the two of them off the ground. "I really don't want a new job being a pincushion."

"What's a pincushion?" she asked, tilting her head.

"I'll tell ya later," Kirk said, patting her back. "Right now we've got shadow pony ass to kick." The queen nodded and they ran over to find more cover.

"What are you idiots doing?!" one of the remaining shadow ponies demanded. She was a rather large earth pony, wearing stylized black armor, a red cape draped over her back. None of the remaining shadow ponies responded, too busy scrambling around in search of the soldiers.

She snorted in anger, slamming a hoof onto the ground. The ground buckled under her, the entire village trembling.

Daniel grabbed a side of a building to steady himself as he rode out the tremors. He pressed the button on his walkie and whispered, "Team, we may want to focus fire on that earth pony. Any more tremors like that and this village might collapse on us."

"Regroup, now!" the earth pony commanded, glaring at her comrades.

"Okay, fire now," Daniel said in his walkie. "If we can take out their leader it should cause some confusion. He trained his pistol on the earth pony and fired. She whipped her head toward him, the bullets ringing off her armor.

"Your toys don't amuse me." She burst into shadow, rushing at him. She solidified as soon as she made contact with him, her hooves slamming into his chest. Daniel's breath was taken away and he was sent flying into a wall. "Tell me, what festering hole have you been hiding in? The Overlord's sickness should have killed you all."

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not what you think I am," Daniel wheezed, seeing Kirk take aim at the earth pony from the corner of his eye. She stared down at him, before a grin bloomed across her face.

"You're one of them aren't you?" She leaned down, snorting in his face. "We were wondering when the rest of your pathetic race would find their way here."

"Do you just not listen, or did I get hit so hard that I spoke a different language without thinking?" Daniel asked. "I already told you I'm not an Ancient."

"Call yourself whatever you want, Lantean." She sneered, exposing a set of very sharp fangs. "I'm going to enjoy dragging your city's address out of you."

"Riddle me this then," Daniel started with a roll of his eye. "If I was a Lantean, why would I use such a primitive projectile weapon?" He pointed at his pistol that was on the ground next to him.

"It doesn't matter." She leaned in close, her eyes emitting sickly purple smoke. "All that matters is you have what I want."

"Is it a cure for that eye smoke?" Daniel asked. "Because they have gum to help you kick that habit."

She didn't get to respond, as Kirk fired at her head. She hissed in agony, the back of her neck sizzling and smoking. Daniel took that as his opportunity to reclaim his gun and fired it directly into her face. She staggered back, face sporting several new holes, only none of them bleeding. Kirk fired again, hitting the back of her neck.

She stomped one of her back hooves, shaking the ground again and bringing down a few buildings. The queen righted herself once the tremors stopped and spat goo onto the shadow pony's hooves, hoping to lock her in place.

"Release me!" she demanded, doing her best to try and free her hooves.

"I've got an idea how to release you," Kirk said with a grin, showing her his stunner. He then pointed it between her eyes and fired. She let out a scream of agony, exploding into smoke.

"Good job, Kirk," Daniel said, picking himself off the ground. "Now let's take care of the last two and evacuate this village."

"I think they're retreating sir," Kirk replied, kicking at the fallen shadow pony's helmet.

"Let them," Daniel said. "We've got more important things to worry about."

"Right," Kirk nodded, though he kept his stunner ready on the off-chance their enemies decided to try something else. The soldiers and the changeling regrouped in the center of the village where all the villagers had been.

"It's alright, everyone," Daniel called out, trying to sound soothing. "No one's going to harm you."

"Who — or what — are you?" an elderly pony asked, regarding Daniel and the soldiers with apprehension.

"We're called humans," Daniel explained, "We don't mean anyone any harm. I know you're scared but we can take you to safety."

"If that's true then why are you with those bugs?!" a villager called out.

"We've never harmed any of you," one of the drones replied.

"We know at least one of you terrorizes our children!" A mare cried out. "Or do you expect us to believe that there really is a Mantis?!"

The queen sighed, giving the pony an annoyed look. "The Mantis has always been something to keep you away from our hive. My youngest child, Razor, takes pleasure in scaring other young ones. You can't tell me your children never play pranks on one another, can you?"

"Look, we can't focus on these things right now," Daniel interjected. "Those shadow ponies will be back and they'll do more damage than this." He indicated the destroyed buildings. "I need everyone to start moving toward the portal." The villagers looked at each other for a few moments before they all looked at Daniel.

"And why should we go through the portal?" the elder asked. "Merely looking at that thing the wrong way has caused our village harm."

"Because we can keep you safe," Daniel assured. "We have the power to fight those shadow ponies. If you stay here, you know they'll want revenge." The villagers shared an unsure look amongst themselves before turning to their elder. The elder sighed and started to walk out of the village. The others followed, more than a few sobbing.

"Doctor Jackson, are you there? Over." Nomura's voice crackled over the radio.

"Yes, I'm here," Daniel replied. "We've begun the evacuation of the village."

"We managed to steal one of the Jumpers. Lieutenant Higgs took a hit. Over."

"How bad is it?" Daniel asked.

"He has a shard of crystal in his leg. Over."

"Alright, we'll need to get him through the gate as fast as possible to get his leg treated," Daniel replied. "And we could use our Jumper to make the evacuation effort go faster."

"I'll swing back and pick you up. Over."

"We'd appreciate it." Daniel then relayed their location to Nomura. It didn't take more than a few minutes for Nomura to reach their position, landing the Jumper just outside the village. Daniel and the soldiers piled into the ship, one of the female soldiers rushing over to Higgs. She pulled out a first aid kit and treated it as best as she could.

The queen ducked her head, walking into the Jumper. She laid on her belly, not bothered by the confined space. She then looked over at Higgs' leg. "I could help you with that, though it may be a bit unpleasant."

"Unpleasant?" He asked, raising his eyebrow. "You try having a chunk of crystal jammed into your leg."

"Alright, but I'd bite down on something, this is going to hurt." The queen spread her magic to the crystal in his leg and pulled it out in a smooth motion that caused Higgs to cry out. She then spat goo onto the wound before blood could flow out.

"That hurt like a bitch." Higgs leaned back in his seat, looking down at his leg.

"I told you that it would be unpleasant," the queen said. "But that resin should help speed the healing process and prevent infection."

"That's good, at least. How'd the evacuation go?"

"The village is still evacuating and once we get our Jumper back it'll be a simple thing to finish," Jackson explained. "The other shadow beings didn't like our stunners."

"Jackson, this is General Carter. Do you copy? Over." Carter's voice came over the radio.

"Oh hey Sam," Daniel replied, gesturing for them to be quiet. "You remember how we were taking Razor back?"

"I do. Over," Carter replied, already seeing where he was going.

"Yeah... we're bringing his whole family back. And a village."

General Carter took a deep breath over the radio. "I take it there were some complications with the mission? Over."

"Oh yeah. Try a bunch of shadow ponies in Puddle Jumpers. Apparently, they raze whole villages for just touching the gate."

"They can use Ancient technology? If we run into them again this will warrant study," Carter said. "And we'll start making room for our guests."

"We uh, stole one of their jumpers," Daniel informed her. "We're about to circle around to retrieve the one we came in."

"Seems like we're going to have a new threat to worry about. Over," Carter said.

"It's like a cycle," Daniel joked. "The changelings should be at the gate by now."

"Copy on multiple travelers incoming," Carter confirmed. "We'll keep the door open for them. Over."

"If any of those shadow ponies get through, the Wraith stunners seem to work well."

"I'll have a squad armed with stunners standing by in the gateroom. Thanks for the intel. Carter out."

"See ya in a bit." Daniel released the button on the radio and the rest of the trip was spent in silence. They reached the abandoned Jumper with no difficulties.

"Think they gave up?" Kirk asked, walking over to the cloaked jumper.

"I don't know, but it's best to stay alert," Daniel said, walking alongside the private. Kirk nodded, keeping his stunner at the ready. Kirk undid the cloak and opened the hatch, stepping into the Jumper. Daniel slipped in behind him, keeping his pistol trained on the opening. Luckily, the Jumper was clear and Kirk took a seat in the pilot's chair.

"Alright, Doc, I'm taking us up."

"Take it nice and easy," Daniel said, sitting beside him in the copilot's seat. Kirk nodded, closing the hatch and taking it up into the air. They followed the other Jumper and caught up with the evacuating villagers. It took a few trips, but the two ships quickly finished evacuating the planet.

The gateroom was packed with panicking ponies, though the changeling queen seemed to have her subjects under control. The two Jumpers landed in the bay, Higgs being helped along due to his injured leg.

"Looks like the city just got a lot busier," Nomura commented.

"Damn, Higgs, you look like shit," Faroe said, cringing at his leg. "Get into a fight with a xenomorph or something?"

"More like a crystal throwing shadow pony," Higgs grumbled. "And I still look better than you."

"You keeping telling yourself that." She took over shouldering him. "Let's get you to the infirmary."

"I'm just glad I kicked the crap out of those shadow ponies," Higgs said, hobbling beside her. "Otherwise I'd be pissy all day."

"Says the guy who can't handle a little fuzzy ball with wings."

"Watch it, Faroe, I've still got a stunner on me," he warned with a wicked grin.

"Do it, I dare you. Thorne will have your ass handcuffed to your hospital bed."

"Fine, not in the mood to get reprimanded today," Higgs relented. Faroe snickered, dragging him down to medical. He was sat on a cot and Thorne walked over to him.

"That's a rather nasty wound," Thorne commented.

"Hurts like a bitch," Higgs assured. "The goo isn't any better."

"Well the docs'll do what they can," Thorne assured him. "You'll be up and running in no time."

"I hope so, I'd hate to ruin my marathon career."

"Keep being a smartass and I'll tell the doc to amputate," Thorne said with a chuckle.

"Ha ha ha," Higgs replied, lying back in his cot. A few moments later, the doctor came and began treating Higgs. This involved a lot of poking and prodding of his injured leg.

"And she said this would fight infection?" Dr. Juan asked, placing some of the goo into a container.

"Yeah, that's what she said," Higgs confirmed with a nod.

"I'll have to test that." Dr. Juan passed Higgs a few painkillers and a cup of water. "Luckily, she stopped you from bleeding to death. That crystal was sharp, it scraped your tibia and cut one of your arteries."

"I'd better thank her," Higgs said. "The last thing I want is to die light years from home."

"You can do that when you're better." Dr. Juan gestured for him to lay back. "I'm keeping you overnight just to make sure you're alright." Higgs lay down and groaned.

"Ugh, I hate not being able to do shit. Makes me feel like a lout."

"It's for your health." Dr. Juan laughed, walking out of the room.

"Get better soon," Faroe said with a pat on his shoulder. "I'll drop in every once in a while to make sure you don't go stir crazy." She got up, adjusting her vest. "Anyway, I gotta go secure more of the city. We got a lot of guests."

"I know, I kinda had a part in bringing them here," Higgs joked with a smirk.

"You're footing the bill," she joked back, walking out of the room.

"Think happy thoughts, Faroe!" Higgs called out. "The changelings will like that!" He laid back on his cot, letting out a long sigh. What the hell was he supposed to do to pass the time?

* * *

"You know, I never thought I'd be playing D&D with a pretty pony princess."

"Actually the abbreviation is O&O," Cadance corrected as she rolled for an event. "Your party is being robbed by goblins in the dead of night."

"Back on Earth we have a game called Dungeons and Dragons. Just like this," Floyd explained. "Anyway, I cast fear on them."

"You'll need to roll a thirteen or higher for the spell to work," Cadance said. Floyd grabbed his dice, giving them a roll.

"Yes, 14!" he cheered as the die displayed the number. "So, I cast fear."

"The goblins are gripped by fear and are unable to move as their worst nightmares are laid bare in their minds," Cadance relayed.

"I take advantage of their terror and move to hack them to pieces." Shining Armor played the paladin to Floyd's spellsword, being the tank of the duo.

"You'll need to roll a ten or higher," Cadance said. "Lucky for you, Floyd has taken care of the hard part, as usual."

"Beginner's luck." Shining took the die in his magic, giving it a good toss. "Yes, 16!"

"The would-be robbers are defeated by the valiant heroes!" Cadance cheered, throwing up her hooves. "And now I'll roll for your loot." The boys shared a grin, watching her roll. "You're in luck again. You got twenty gold to split amongst the two of you."

"Ten apiece," Floyd stated, glancing at Shining.

"Sounds good to me," Shining agreed, nodding. "I mean, we did split up the work evenly, makes sense that's how we'd divide the loot."

"Then we have a deal." Floyd grinned, scribbling on his character sheet.

"Glad to see you two working together," Cadance said as Shining wrote on his own sheet. "If you weren't I'd have upped the ante to force you two to get on the same page."

"You guys are just lucky I'm not DM," Floyd commented, leaning back in his chair. "I play hard."

"I normally play it so that the group has fun," Cadance said with a shrug. "But I wouldn't mind you DMing the next session. I play a mean bard."

"I dunno, Cadance," Floyd gave her an appraising look. "You haven't faced a Gorvil before."

"I can handle anything you throw at me!" Cadance beamed, fluffing her wings. "I'm a veteran of this game. I was there in the confusing times when third edition was dropped."

"Oh yeah?" Floyd grinned. "I won't pull any punches now."

"That'll have to wait 'til later," Shining cut in. "Don't you think you should go and get some footage?"

"I guess I should." Floyd got up, cracking his neck, "I have a cooking lesson today anyway."

"Do you want me to send a guard to escort you there?" Cadance asked. "Or will you wave that off again?"

"Worried about me, huh?" Floyd chuckled, packing up his things.

"I have to do my duties as your host," she said, smiling at him. "Otherwise my aunt will chew me out over it."

"Eh, if you insist then I can have one of your guards escort me there," Floyd shrugged.

"Thank you," Cadance smiled. "Flash Sentry, could you please come in?" she called, gazing at the door. A moment later an orange pegasus came in and saluted at Cadance.

"You called, Princess?" the pegasus asked.

"From this moment on, you will be accompanying Floyd for the duration of his stay."

"You can count on me, Princess." Flash saluted and trotted over to Floyd.

"Nice to meet you." Floyd gave him a smile, holding his hand out. Flash returned the smile and extended his hoof to meet Floyd's hand.

"I'll be sure to give you plenty of space," Flash assured. "You'll barely even know I'm here."

"Don't worry about it," Floyd said, grabbing his bags. "You'll even get some free food while you're at it."

"I can never say no to that!" Flash beamed, motioning for Floyd to lead the way. Floyd nodded and adjusted his bags as he walked out of the castle.

"Been a guard long?" Floyd asked, trying to remember the way to Alexandrite's home.

"Not really," Flash said. "I got out of training and Princess Celestia assigned me to the new guard unit here. It's been pretty interesting. I got here right after the Sombra incident so I had to monitor some reconstruction."

"Must have been weird. You stick out like a sore thumb here."

"Yeah, I am the odd pony out," Flash agreed. "But I'm working hard and even the princess and the former captain are taking notice. I'm hoping I go from being a private to an officer pretty soon."

"I hope you do." Floyd smiled, patting his head. "I'm not cut out for that sort of thing."

"Can you not pat my head in public, please?" Flash asked, flinching. "It's kinda unprofessional."

"Sorry," Floyd smiled sheepishly. "You guys are adorable, it's kinda hard to not hug you."

"Yeah well, limbs to yourself while I'm in the armor," Flash said with a chuckle, tapping his breastplate. "You'll have to find some other pony to hug."

"Tough luck I guess." He came to a stop at the shop, knocking on the door. "Hey guys, I'm back!" The sound of hooves quickly approaching could be heard before Citrine flung the door open.

"Floyd, it's great to see you again!" The yellow crystal pony beamed. "Come right in, Alexandrite is waiting in the kitchen for our lesson."

"Good to see you too, Citrine." Floyd smiled. "This is my escort, Flash Sentry. Flash, Citrine."

"It's nice to meet you too, dear," Citrine told the guard with a smile. "Now come along, you two. Alexandrite might run off and lock herself in her workshop if we keep her waiting too long." She turned and trotted further into the home.

"Best not to keep the girls waiting." Floyd followed after her, hunching down through the doorway leading into the kitchen. Alexandrite was already there, an apron tied around her barrel.

"Hi Floyd, I was starting to get bored waiting for you," the young mare said, flashing him a cheeky smile.

"I _am_ the life of the party," Floyd said, playing along. "Unfortunately, I left the moonshine and weed back on Earth."

"Looks like you'll have to settle for crystal wine and crystal mushrooms," Alexandrite shot back with a giggle.

"Alright, alright," Citrine cut in, "That's enough of that talk, we have food to cook."

"Somepony better have a bucket of water on standby," Alexandrite commented as Floyd washed his hands.

"Flash, dear." Citrine turned to the stallion, looking him over. "Do you know how to cook?"

"Nah, I never learned," Flash replied. "I'm military, so meals are taken care of for the most part."

"Nonsense," Citrine spoke, her voice firm. "Take all that armor off and wash your hooves."

Flash blinked a bit. "Um, I'm on duty. I can't take my armor off." Alexandrite just shook her head, watching as her mother gave Flash a death glare. "Ya know what, it'll be fine as long as the princess doesn't find out." The pegasus chuckled weakly and pulled his helmet off. The rest of his armor soon followed suit.

"Good." Citrine smiled, appeased for now. "Wash up and join us at the table."

"Remind me to not get on your mom's bad side," Floyd whispered to Alexandrite as Flash washed his hooves.

"I think all moms have a bad side," Alexandrite replied.

"You make a good point," Floyd said. "I think a switch goes off in the female brain that enables that look the instant after childbirth." Alexandrite snorted, socking him in the leg. "Ow, watch it with those hooves!" He rubbed the spot where she hit him. "I'd retaliate but I think I'd break my hand on your crystal body."

"I didn't hit you hard, stop being such a foal."

"Unlike some people here, I'm not made of magical living crystal," he pointed out. "So excuse me for my fleshy meat body."

"Settle down children," Citrine spoke, getting their attention.

"Hey, I'm a man-child, there's a distinct difference," Floyd joked.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Alexandrite asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I can drink legally, for one thing," he replied with a grin. "And a child has yet to mature, a man-child has chosen not to."

"We'll just have to change that," Citrine said, clearing her throat. "Now, we're going to start simple and make some crystal soup."

"Sounds good," Floyd said as he set up his camera and started recording. "I think I can handle something like that." Citrine smiled, beginning to instruct them. Flash and Alexandrite struggled with the lesson at first, and a small fire was even started. But in the end, each one made a bowl of steaming soup.

"Now for the taste test~" Citrine grinned, passing them some spoons.

"Mmm, I think I got mine right," Floyd said, happily eating his soup. He licked his lips, grinning like an idiot. "I got the touch~"

Flash gulped, hesitantly taking a spoonful of his soup. "Well... I think I got it right." The pegasus let out a sigh of relief.

"Guess it's just me," Alexandrite smiled weakly, taking a sip of her bowl. "It's edible," she relayed with a weak smile, "which is better than the last time I tried cooking."

"Looks like I win," Floyd proclaimed with a cocky grin.

"And do you know what your prize is?" Citrine asked with a sweet smile.

"No, no I do not." He shook his head.

"You get to clean the dishes while I prepare the next part of the lesson," Citrine replied, her smile growing.

"That's a crappy prize..." He grabbed their dishes, taking them to the sink.

"Nopony likes a braggart, Floyd," Citrine said. "Plus, these two could use the extra attention while I get everything ready." Floyd just grumbled, busying himself with the dishes. Citrine turned back and grabbed more ingredients. She started giving pointers to Flash and her daughter.

Flash did his best, rather enjoying the lesson. Once Floyd was done with the dishes, Citrine started the next part of the lesson. Lucky for everyone, no other fires were started.

"You boys aren't too bad," Citrine complemented, helping Floyd put the last of the dishes away.

"I'm a guard, so if there's one thing I'm good at it's following directions," Flash joked, putting his armor back on.

"Well that was fun." Floyd stretched out, rubbing his neck. "I'm gonna go get some interviews. You wanna come, Alex?"

"Sure," the young mare replied with a smile. "I'm ahead of schedule on my decorations for the festival, and a walk around the city sounds great right about now."

"Excellent." Floyd grabbed his camera, smiling at Citrine. "When do you want her back by?"

"Oh, whenever is fine by me," Citrine waved off. "Alexandrite is a grown mare. You three just have fun." They waved, walking out of the house. Alexandrite walked at Floyd's side while Flash stayed a few steps behind. They walked and chatted until they came upon the market square.

"Well, this place should give me some good footage," Floyd said.

"I could loan you some bits if you see anything interesting," Alexandrite offered.

"Cadance already has me covered." Floyd reached into his pocket, pulling out a small sack that jingled as he walked. "Said this should cover anything I might want."

"Well aren't you special?" Alexandrite teased.

"I don't plan on spending it all," he assured her. "I want to be a good guest."

"You're doing fine," she assured him, leading the boys through the market. Floyd pulled out his camcorder, capturing anything that looked interesting. He stopped a few ponies along the way, getting quick interviews. He talked with Alexandrite and Flash as they went around the square.

"Oh, hey." Flash got their attention, pointing to a makeshift stage. "Looks like one of the troupes is performing."

"Sure, I bet the Doc would love it if I told him what a pony play is like," Floyd said. "Let's check it out."

"I think they're playing 'I Want To Be Your Canary'," Alexandrite guessed, glancing at the stage.

"Sounds great," Flash said. "I've heard that's a good one."

"What's it about?" Floyd asked, finding himself getting the best view of the stage due to his height.

"It's about a pegasus that gets stranded in the Griffon Kingdom and is taken in by a griffon. The two then slowly come to understand each other," Alexandrite explained.

"I'm guessing a romance?" Floyd passed his camcorder to Flash, with instructions not to drop it, getting out his main camera.

"Yeah, a pretty classic one too," Flash said.

"You know, if you guys want, I could bring my laptop next time I'm in town," Floyd offered. "I got a bunch of movies saved onto it."

"I'd love to see that!" Alexandrite beamed. "But... what's a laptop?" She tilted her head at him.

Floyd opened his mouth to speak before he realized the normal explanation would go over her head. "It's a machine that stores data like movies and songs. I use it to edit my footage."

"That sounds pretty cool," Flash said. "I'd be up for seeing what a human movie looks like."

"I'll start you guys off with something great I promise." Floyd turned his attention to the stage, staring a bit in awe as an actual griffon walked onto the stage. "I knew they were a thing here but that's still amazing."

"Wait until you see a minotaur," Flash chuckled. "Most of them are taller than even Princess Celestia."

"That'll be fun." They stuck around through the rest of the play, which in Floyd's opinion was actually rather good. Spotting the actors lingering around, Floyd led his group over. "Hello," he called out, giving them a wave. The actors returned the wave, the griffon looking over Floyd.

"Are you some kind of shaved Diamond Dog?" the griffon asked, somehow managing to grin with a beak.

"Nah, I'm a hairless ape," Floyd shot back, holding his hand out.

"Heh, got a sense of humor, that's good." The griffon's grin grew as he shook Floyd's hand, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"I certainly did," Floyd nodded. "I'm Floyd, nice to meet you."

"I'm Bruno," the griffon introduced himself. "It's a pleasure to hear that someone enjoyed the show. So what brings a shaved monkey to the frozen armpit of Equestria?"

"I'm here to get footage for back home." Floyd gave his camera a pat, "And you, my friend, just met your first alien."

"So you're a paid tourist?" Bruno asked with a laugh. "That's gotta be a great gig. And I gotta say, you're not as wild looking as sci-fi has led me to believe an alien would look."

"Yeah and talking to a living myth is a lot less dangerous than I thought it would be," Floyd retorted.

"What, did you think I'd try to eat you?" Bruno chuckled and clicked his beak. "Ya look a little too stringy for my tastes."

"Good to know." Floyd gestured to his companions. "These are my friends, Flash Sentry and Alexandrite."

"It's a pleasure to meet you two as well." Bruno bowed his head. "I hope you enjoyed the show as well."

"It was pretty good," Flash nodded. "I just wish we could have caught the whole thing."

"Well, we will have another show tomorrow," Bruno suggested. "You can catch what you missed then."

"I don't have anything planned." Floyd smiled. "Are you busy, Bruno? I'd love to get an interview with you."

"I don't see a problem with that," Bruno said. "But I might have to check with the missus."

"Think she'd be up for an interview?"

"I'll see." Bruno waved over the lead actress, "Honey, would you care to do an interview with me?"

"An interview?" an aquamarine colored pony asked, walking over to them.

"Yes, this young..." Bruno motioned for Floyd to help him out for a term.

"Man," Floyd supplied.

Bruno nodded. "This young man is doing an interview to get footage for his home. Would you like to help him out with that?"

"Oh my, you want to interview us?" she asked, looking positively surprised. "I don't think that would be a problem."

"Of course he wants to interview you," Bruno grinned at her and draped a wing over her back. "You're the greatest actress in Equestria."

"Do you have anywhere less... noisy we can set up?" Floyd asked the group, looking between them.

"We could lead you to our dressing room," the actress said, getting closer to her husband.

"I'd like that, if it's not a problem." Floyd smiled, adjusting his hold on his equipment.

The couple nodded and led them to the dressing room, and they all took a seat.

"So, what would you like to ask us?" Bruno inquired.

"Just things in general." Floyd busied himself setting up his tripod. "I got a good dozen interviews already. Would you mind telling me about griffons, Bruno?"

"Not at all," Bruno said. "I'll happily tell you anything you want to know about us."

Floyd grinned in response, getting his camera rolling. They spent a good few hours talking, focusing mostly on griffons and their relationship with Equestria. Floyd called the interview when it was clear the sun was starting to set.

"Thanks for your time." Floyd stood up, starting to pack up his things.

"It was no trouble at all," Bruno assured. "We were happy to talk to you. If you want more footage, come by after the show if you want."

"I'll hold you to that." Floyd joined Alexandrite and Flash at the door. "Have a good night, guys." The couple waved at them as they exited the dressing room and made their way back to Alexandrite's home.

"Today was a lot of fun," Alexandrite chirped with a bright smile.

"Yeah, it was," Floyd agreed, patting her head. She didn't seem to mind the gesture, letting him do it as her tail swished behind her.

"What do you think of Equestria so far?" she asked.

"It's pretty great. You ponies are pretty nice people," he complimented. "Know anywhere good for dinner?"

"I could show you a place I like," Alexandrite said. "And it'll be my treat."

"Anything is better than rations," Flash joked.

"Then you'll love this place," Alexandrite said, leading them through the city. The three continued to talk until Alexandrite led them to a small restaurant. "Here we are!" She trotted inside, going up to the hostess and getting them a table.

"This looks like a nice little diner," Floyd said, flipping through a menu.

"Yeah, it's great." Alexandrite nodded. "It... took a while for places like this to reopen."

"Well I'm glad they did," Floyd replied. "Places like these are always interesting." He tapped his fingers on the menu. "Does everything need to have hay in it?"

"Well, this is a place that caters to primarily ponies," Alexandrite said with a giggle. "You could always ask if they have anything suit your palate."

"Humans aren't very good with grass," Floyd explained.

"Neither are griffons or diamond dogs," Flash said. "They might have options suited to other species here since the reconstruction."

"Good call. Just no wine, stuff gave me a migraine this morning."

"Really?" Alexandrite asked with a tilt of her head. "That single glass of wine shouldn't have done that. My head was fine."

"Maybe it was something in it." Floyd shrugged. He still planned on drinking that bottle, wasting good alcohol was the unwritten eighth deadly sin.

"You could let your people examine it and see if there's something in it that doesn't react well with humans," Flash suggested.

"Could just be me." Floyd shrugged. After a short conversation with their waitress, Floyd ordered himself some chicken. Flash ordered a spaghetti dinner with hayballs, and Alexandrite picked a daisy sandwich with hay fries.

The trio talked long into the night, and eventually Flash and Floyd escorted Alexandrite home.

"Good night, you two," Alexandrite said as she opened the door. "Hope we can all get together again soon."

"I'll be free whenever," Floyd promised, flashing her a smile.

"And I'll probably be assigned to Floyd during the duration of his stay," Flash added, doing the same.

"You already were," Floyd reminded, patting his head.

"What did I tell you about doing that while I'm on duty?" Flash asked, moving away from his hand.

"Then pay better attention. Anyway, 'night Alex." The young mare nodded and closed the door behind her as Floyd and Flash turned to make their way back to the castle.

* * *

"Lieutenant," the nurse on duty called, peeking into the room. "You have visitors."

"Oh really?" Higgs asked. "I won't say no to company. I'm already going stir-crazy."

"Hi!" Razor chirped, rushing into the room, his mother trailing behind him.

"Hey there, little buddy," Higgs said with a smile. "Are you and your family settling in okay?"

"Uh huh!" Razor nodded, fluttering onto the bed.

"Your leader gave us residence in another building," the queen explained. "She was worried there would be more bugs." She flashed her fangs. "We don't mind."

"I'm glad to hear you guys are settling in. And I'm sorry we made you all have to leave your planet," Higgs said with a sigh.

"A hive can always be rebuilt." She waved him off. "Besides, this place is much better than a cave."

"I bet you're just saying that because you've got more food sources now." Higgs grinned and started to think of his family. Razor hummed in delight, his antenna twitching.

"I won't lie, that is nice." The queen closed her eyes, drinking in the warm feelings. "It's also much easier to collect."

"Ya know, I don't believe I caught your name," Higgs pointed out. "Or would you rather I just call you Queenie?"

The queen frowned, snorting indignantly. "My proper name is Elmis."

"I like it. It's a very nice name." Higgs smiled at her.

She smiled back, stepping closer. "Razor, I think we've taken up enough of Higgs' time."

"But Mom, we just got here!" Razor protested, giving his mother puppy dog eyes.

"It's fine with me," Higgs assured, patting Razor's head.

"Very well," Elmis relented with a sigh, sitting on her haunches. "We can stay as long as Higgs would like us to."

"Yay!" Razor cheered, buzzing his wings.

"Doesn't take much to excite you if hanging out with a bedridden guy like me gets you like this," Higgs teased, scratching behind his ear. Razor nuzzled his hand, much like an affectionate cat. "I think you're gonna give me diabetes, Razor," he joked, his smile growing at the display.

"What's that?"

"It's a disease where the body can't break down sugar properly," Higgs explained, keeping it simple as he scratched Razor's ear.

"That doesn't sound good," Razor pouted.

"I was joking, little guy," Higgs assured him. "I was just saying that you're very sweet."

"Thanks," Razor smiled, fluttering his wings.

"Don't mention it, little buddy." Higgs started petting the little changeling. Razor snuggled up with him, chattering away about all the new things he learned.


	12. Sheut Part 4

Stargate: Shangri-La by shagohad12

* * *

Sheut [Part 4]

Daniel slumped down into his chair, letting out a long tired sigh. Despite having gotten back the previous afternoon, it had taken until the morning to get all their guests settled. The villagers had refused to be near the changelings, meaning both had to be put into separate buildings. Thankfully, everything had calmed down enough for him to get a break.

"Finally, we've got all of our refugees settled in and introduced to the city," Carter said, slumping into her own seat.

"It's like the Jaffa and Tok'ra all over again," Daniel mused, casting his gaze over at her.

"Yeah, let's just hope that we can get changelings and ponies to get along during their stay here," Carter replied. "I'd rather not have any serious incidents between the two."

"Now that we have some breathing room," Daniel straightened up, suppressing a yawn, "we should probably discuss those ponies that attacked us."

"You're right, these 'shadow ponies' as you described them are quite interesting," Carter nodded. "Being able to use Jumpers is reason enough to take an interest in them."

"They thought I was from Atlantis," Daniel said, rubbing his neck.

"So they're informed about the Ancients." Carter's brow furrowed in concentration, "Things are certainly getting more and more complicated."

"When aren't they?" Daniel joked, letting out a tired laugh.

"You make a good point," Carter admitted. "You'd think things would get easier now that we've dealt with the Ori."

"Could always quit, retire to some quiet place with a fishing pond."

"Are you kidding?" Carter asked with a tired smile. "I've got plenty of service left in me before I plan on retiring."

"Must be what keeps Jack going."

"You've got a good point there." Carter started to laugh. He joined her, the tension bleeding out of them. "I can't even imagine the look on his face when we tell him about what we've found on this planet."

"He'll start making horse puns," Daniel pointed out.

"And Teal'c will just raise his eyebrow like always," Carter added with a grin.

"Good times."

"Oh yeah, good times," Carter said. "Like the time we went to Hell. Or the time we were stuck on a Goa'uld pyramid ship when they were about to destroy Earth."

"Think we'll get the recognition in our lifetime?"

"Jack's been griping that we haven't had a statue made for us or a national holiday yet," Carter said with a chuckle.

"Well, they did send us a camera guy this time," Daniel reminded her. "Could lead to some public knowledge."

"Well, if we do manage to get a statue made for us, I'm sending in a picture of me from fifteen years ago. I am not letting someone sculpt the crow's feet." Carter grinned.

"That brings up the question of whether or not Mitchell and Vala would be included." Despite losing Daniel, Carter and Teal'c, Cameron still commanded SG-1, something the man took great pride in.

"Honestly, I'd prefer a memorial with all the names of SGC members," Carter said somberly. "Including the ones that we lost."

"It really just depends on how the public reacts to everything." Daniel leaned back, his tiredness suddenly returning. "Learning your planet's almost been destroyed nearly a dozen times isn't a pleasant idea."

"You make a pretty good point there." She nodded. "Though we will have to go public at some point. The conspiracy theorists have gotten close to the truth a few times."

"Either way, it's out of our hands." Daniel blinked, a thought occurring to him. "You remember how we thought the Ancient Plague took the Shangrians?"

"What about it?" She quirked a brow.

"I didn't remember it until right now, but one of those shadow ponies said that 'the overlord's' plague should have killed us all."

"So this wasn't a natural disease," Carter guessed. "It was a bioweapon."

"To be fair, we don't know if the Ancient Plague was natural or not. There's a good chance the Ori created it."

"That makes sense," Carter agreed. "But why would they create something that could easily kill them if any number of variables went wrong?"

Daniel just shrugged. "Not like we can ask them. I think we're working on too little information." He rubbed at his eyes, chasing sleep away. "I know it's a power hog, but I think we should use the Holo room and search Shangri-La's database."

"I'll let you and the research team do that. We could learn a great deal from this place. Who knows how the Ancients here were influenced by the presence of magic."

"As long as you take care of the bureaucrats."

"Oh yeah, you get to have the time of your life learning this place's history, and I get to deal with stuffed shirts, thanks." She smirked and shook her head.

"Hey, you do it a lot better than I do."

"Doesn't mean I like doing it," she countered.

"I never said you did."

"I'm gonna have to make an early report in the morning," she said, pinching her brow. "Gotta tell them about our additional residents."

"It is morning," Daniel pointed out, "But that'll be a fun conversation either way."

"I'll call them after I get some sleep," she replied with a yawn.

"You got a good idea there." Daniel let out his long suppressed yawn. "I think sleep should be our priority."

"Then let's get out of here and collapse for a few hours while it's still quiet," Carter said, standing up. He followed her lead, bidding farewell before heading to bed. Carter followed the hallways to her own room, not bothering to take off her boots as she collapsed onto the cot. Sleep quickly claimed her once her head had hit the pillow.

It was much too soon when Carter finally got up, but she couldn't afford to waste too much time. She got some coffee, nursing the cup as she moved into the control room.

"Alright everyone, I need you to dial home," Carter called out, taking her post. "We need to inform command about all the new citizens of Shangri-La." She nodded to the on-duty gate operator, who began to enter Earth's address. The gate spun to life, locking in chevrons at a much faster rate than Milky Way gates. The final chevron locked and the gate activated. Carter entered in her code, letting them know who was connecting.

"General Carter?" Walter's familiar voice asked over the radio. "You aren't due to report in for a few weeks."

"A situation cropped up that required an early report. Is General Lorne available?"

"I walked in as soon as I heard there was an offworld activation," a new yet familiar voice chimed in. "You can begin your report at any time, General Carter."

"When did you get so direct, Lorne?" Carter asked. General Evan Lorne, formerly under General John Shepard's command on Atlantis, had taken over the SGC after she had stepped down little over two years ago.

"Would you rather we have a nice chat about the new painting I've been working on in my downtime?" Lorne asked with a chuckle.

"I would, but I'd rather not keep the connection for longer than we have to."

"Then please begin your report before I start giving you a lecture over oil and acrylic paints," Lorne joked.

"The first thing of note is that Shangri-La was buried beneath this planet's arctic circle," Carter relayed. "Once we returned sufficient power to the facility, we used the shield generator to clear the ice. During that time, we came into contact with citizens of the planet." She cleared her throat, trying to decide how to word her next sentence.

"Was it another group of humans that are living in a version of a former Earth civilization?" Lorne guessed.

"No, actually, they're small, pastel-colored hoofed creatures that call themselves ponies," Carter admitted, knowing full well how ridiculous that sounded.

Lorne was silent for some time after hearing that. "You haven't come into contact with any suspicious alien substances lately, have you?"

"I assure you, Lorne, I have not."

"Can you send a photo or some video evidence of this through the gate?" Lorne asked. "I want to make sure that this is accurate."

"Our cameraman did some interviews, we'll send the footage over." She excused herself for a moment, calling down to the communication team.

A few minutes later Lorne responded. "We have received the footage." He went silent as he seemed to watching it. All of a sudden, he started to laugh. "Y-you weren't kidding! These things look like something out of a little girl's dream! Oh, General O'Neill is gonna have a field day with this footage."

Carter cleared her throat, getting his attention. "May I continue?"

"Yes, please do," Lorne replied. "I need to hear all about the talking ponies."

Carter sighed, shaking her head. She gave him a brief rundown on the last few days, ending on their current guests.

"No wonder you decided to report early," Lorne stated. "Will you be needing extra supplies to help take care of all the refugees?"

"I think we can make do with what we have for now, and the ponies have been extremely generous, as well. I'm going to contact the leaders of a neighboring nation, see if they'll take them in."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Lorne replied. "Keep me posted on the status of relations and I'll have SG-13 and 14 on standby in case you need some backup from those shadow ponies."

"I'll report back in a day or two," Carter agreed.

"I can't wait to hear about it all." Lorne chuckled. "Do you have any personal messages you want me to pass on while I'm still on the line?"

"None that I can think of for myself, and we haven't collected letter home from the rest of the expedition team."

"Then I'd better let you get back to your work," Lorne said. "I have to call up the president and relay your report."

"Still happy you took the job?" Carter asked with a hint of amusement.

"Oh, I'm gonna have the time of my life explaining your discoveries," Lorne replied with a chuckle. "In fact, I might request a personal meeting so I can show him the footage you just sent me."

"I don't think anyone would believe this without that footage." Carter glanced at the gate operator, giving a nod. "We're going to cut the connection now."

"Alright, good luck out there, Carter, sounds like things are progressing as well as our missions usually do," Lorne offered as the wormhole was cut off.

Carter let out a deep sigh, allowing herself a few moments to relax. The moment passed and she straightened up, wasting no time in handing out tasks. She had to at least attempt to make up for lost time getting the expedition settled in, and she'd be damned if they wasted another second.

* * *

Floyd groaned as sunlight poked through the window in his room. He felt like someone was jabbing him in the head with an icepick every five seconds. He groaned as he clutched his head and threw the covers off himself.

"Seriously?" he muttered to himself. "I didn't even drink last night." He flexed his fingers, noting the dull ache in his palms. "Maybe I am catching something?" He let out a groan of frustration at the idea and pulled himself out of bed. He trudged into the bathroom and slowly started his morning routine. After a quick shower he wiped away the steam from the mirror to see if he needed to shave.

Looking back at him was a young, tan skinned man. His hair was a messy platinum blonde, and his eyes were...glowing grey? His pupils shrank to pinpricks and he blinked owlishly for a few moments. When he opened his eyes again, hazel orbs greeted him. He shook his head in confusion. "Was I just seeing things?" Deciding not to dwell on it, finishing up his morning grooming before heading out to the dining room. Shining Armor and Cadance were already there, chatting and sipping steaming cups of tea. Cadance took notice of him first, smiling and waving him over.

"Good morning, Floyd," she greeted him. "Did you get a lot of good footage yesterday?"

"I think so." He smiled back, taking his own seat.

"Well that's good," Shining said. "And how was your cooking lesson?"

"Pretty good. I already know a few recipes but, I wasn't going to turn down the offer."

"I bet," Cadance said with a giggle. "Every crystal vegetable I've eaten here has been amazingly tasty."

"I'm glad I was one of the first humans to try it," Floyd said, very grateful that they had preemptively ordered him some tea.

"Well we're glad to see you're enjoying your time in the empire," Shining offered. "This place is pretty incredible. Terrible location though."

"Hey, at least you don't live out on the tundra," Floyd countered, taking a sip of his tea, "There's a tribe of humans called the Inuits that make houses out of snow."

"Yeah, I think I'll take my crystal city with magical weather protection over that," Shining replied with a chuckle.

"I think everyone here agrees with you." Floyd leaned back in his chair, staring down into the steaming liquid.

"Definitely," Cadance chirped. "This place has really grown on me. It has such a nice atmosphere. Though I might be biased because the empire's magic shield is powered by the love of its citizens," she concluded with a giggle.

"Any exciting plans for the day?" Floyd felt his spirits lift, watching in anticipation as some servants pushed out a cart of food.

"We've got to prepare for the festival and the press conference in Canterlot," Cadance told him. "Aunt Celestia wants all three princesses there."

"Hopefully my bosses will want me to be there." Floyd grabbed a plate of pastries, deciding to start with a purple cupcake.

"Considering how important keeping a record of an event like the beginning of open formal relations between our peoples is, you'll be there, I'm sure," Shining said with a small smile, piling hay-bacon on his plate.

"We can only hope." Floyd spent the rest of breakfast chatting up his hosts, doing his best not to think about his worsening symptoms. Bidding them goodbye, he stepped out into the hall to find Flash waiting for him.

"You ready for our lesson today?" Flash asked, shuddering at the memory of Citrine's glare.

"Why, aren't you?" Floyd smirked. "Not feeling brave enough, huh?"

Flash narrowed his eyes at Floyd. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

Floyd just grinned, speaking in a language Flash didn't understand. "What the hay is that supposed to mean?" the pegasus asked, tilting his head as his agitation gave way to confusion.

"Exactly." Floyd spun on his heel, beginning to walk away.

"Floyd, tell me what the hay you just said!" Flash pouted and trotted after him.

"Don't worry about it," Floyd dismissed. He grabbed his camera from his room, following Cadance's directions to the exit. Flash grumbled the entire time, pouting as he followed Floyd through the streets. "You know, I gotta ask, how'd you get your name?"

"The same way everypony gets their name, from my parents," Flash replied with a laugh.

"That's not what I meant, what made your parents name you Flash Sentry?"

"I dunno, I never asked them about that kinda thing," Flash admitted with a shrug. "I mean, it's not something I really gave much of a thought to."

"I was named after Pink Floyd."

"Pink Floyd, what's that?" Flash asked, looking up at him.

"One of the most influential and successful bands in history. My dad was a huge fan. A movie version of one of their albums, _The Wall_ , came out when my mom and dad were still dating. By some stoner logic, they decided they would name their first kid either Pink or Floyd."

"Huh, that's a pretty cool story," Flash commented with a nod. "I'll have to ask mine about my own name once I'm on leave."

"There's always a story." They meandered their way to Citrine's home, passing the train station. A train let out a low whistle, signalling its arrival. It slowly pulled into the station and the doors opened. "...That is the most gaudy looking train I have ever seen in my life."

"Oh, the bright colors are so pegasi that are flying high up in the air can spot it better," Flash explained.

"Then why not just paint the roof like that?"

"I think they wanted it to match," Flash said with a shrug. "Would be kinda weird if the cars were dull colors and the roofs were bright neon colors."

"Guess that makes sense," Floyd shrugged.

"I'm guessing trains where you're from are less colorful, huh?"

"Yeah, normally very muted colors."

"Sounds kinda boring," Flash said. "But I guess it doesn't matter as long as they get you from point A to point B."

"Better than walking," Floyd said, watching various ponies disembark from the train.

"And in the weather surrounding this place, better than flying," Flash added, doing the same. "Ice and wings are a very bad combination." Among the ponies stepping off, Floyd took note of a brick red unicorn mare with a silvery mane.

"How many colors do you guys come in?" Floyd asked, looking down at Flash.

"Literally every color in the rainbow," Flash answered, looking up at him with a grin.

"Don't look so smu-"

"Alien!" A stallion's voice called out, sounding rather crazed. Flash and Floyd turned to the source of the disturbance and saw a bright orange stallion with a brown mane pointing a hoof directly at Floyd. The right side of his face and part of his barrel had burn scars.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I am an alien," Floyd said, not sure what to make of the stallion.

"I knew it! They've come for the harvest!" The stallion lit his horn up and before Floyd could react, a blast of magic threw him into a wall. Flash narrowed his eyes and tackled the stallion, wrestling him to the ground.

"Sir, stand down!" Flash boomed. "You have attacked a guest of the crown!"

Floyd stopped paying attention to the pair, his body spasming. His pounding headache intensified, nearly causing him to black out. Floyd idly mused if this was what getting hit by lightning felt like. Just as he felt like he was going to pass out from the pain, he saw a grey aura flicker over his body.

"Honestly, lashing out like that is totally unbecoming of a scientist," a feminine voice noted, seeming cold.

"You know this guy?!" Flash demanded, keeping the unicorn pinned to the ground.

"Only by reputation," the brick red mare from earlier replied. "He's a famous researcher of modern magic, Forged Compass. He's also famous for his near-schizophrenic levels of paranoia. This would be the first time we worked together."

"We have to burn it before it gets back up!" Forged growled, trying to buck Flash off.

"Sir, if you do not stop struggling, I will bind your magic!" Flash threatened, using a wing to pull out a metal ring from his armor.

The sound of galloping hooves caught Flash's attention. One of the more senior guards, Flash recalled his name was Solar Defender, rushed to his side.

"Private Sentry," Defender asked, watching the pair struggle. "Please tell me why you're wrestling a burn victim?"

"He attacked Floyd, a personal guest to the princess, sir," Flash answered, remaining calm. "And he's resisted arrest and has threatened to kill said guest."

Defender gazed over at Floyd, who was still crumpled against the wall. He turned back to Forged, then to the mare. "Are you with that group the prince sent for?"

"Yes," Forged answered, his struggling slowing down. "I was sent here to study the Crystal Heart and find a way to return Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."

"Well the good news is she's back safe and sound." Defender smiled. "Came back around two days ago. Why'd you hit the human, though?"

"And it was the aliens who returned her safe and sound," Flash added, staring daggers at Forged.

"Sentry, fly back to the palace and let the princess know about this." Defender shooed him off Forged, taking his place. He turned to the mare. "You have medical training?"

"Yes, I know a few healing spells," the mare replied, her grey aura still surrounding Floyd. Flash looked between them and flew off.

"You tend to him." Defender nodded to Floyd. "Alright sir, I think you took care of the scary alien."

"You're all fools, they're lulling you into a false sense of security," Forged growled. "We'll all wind up regretting letting things like that among us!"

"I bet they used to tell each other that before Hearth's Warming," Defender replied. He fished a pair of cuffs out of his armor, slapping them on Forged's forelegs.

"There's a big difference," Forged spat as he was hauled to his hooves. "We ponies are the same species. We're able to breed amongst each other."

"You know we can also breed with griffons and zebras, yes?" the mare asked, kneeling beside Floyd.

"And they belong on this planet," Forged shot back.

"You know, apparently, humans are descendants of the Teachers," Defender explained, slipping a restraining ring around Forged's horn.

"You mean that old mare's tale?" Forged asked with a snort.

"Teachers?" The mare frowned. "That crackpot theory put forward by a sub-par researcher?"

Defender frowned. "I assure the both of you, The Teachers were quite real. They're the reason we are who we are."

"All things considered, the Teachers' existence isn't that far-fetched," the mare replied. She looked down at Floyd. "I may have to study these humans while I am in the empire."

"That's if the other humans don't get angry."

Floyd groaned, finally clear headed enough to join the conversation. "That fucking hurt..."

"I'm sorry about my colleague," the mare said. "He's paranoid to an unhealthy level."

"I couldn't tell," Floyd snapped, daring to look down at himself. He let out a small sigh of relief, nothing seemed to be broken, though he was bruised and bleeding from several places. "I've had worse..."

"I can't tell if you're being serious or just trying to sound tough," the mare said, letting out a quick chuckle. Floyd muttered a reply she didn't understand, pushing himself to his feet.

"I wouldn't recommend being on your feet for too long," Defender said, signalling two of his guards to lead Forged away. "Judging by the crack in that wall, you took a nasty hit."  
Floyd turned, gazing back at the wall behind him. "I'll be fine. Though if that jackass broke my camera, you're going to have to take me in for murder."

"Sir, he's being taken in and I can add a fine for property damage on top of his other charges," Defender assured, putting himself in front of Floyd. "And considering the number of witnesses, it's safe to say he'll be put away for some time."

"Yeah, yeah, guess that'll have to do," Floyd grumbled. He spotted his camera case, lying on the ground close to where he had been standing. He picked it up, hearing pieces of the camera rustling around inside it. "Yeah, that's about what I expected. Guess I'm not recording my cooking lesson today."

A flash of light caught his attention and he turned to see that Cadance had teleported to the scene. Shining Armor and Flash were by her side, though Flash looked rather queasy.

"Did you come all this way just for me?" Floyd asked with a chuckle.

"Are you alright?" Cadance asked, galloping over to him. He held in a sigh, letting her examine him. "Looks like you're alright." She cast a spell and Floyd felt his chest go numb for a few moments. "That should take care of the cuts and bruises. I can't fix your shirt though."

"You did more than enough," Floyd waved off. "Thanks for this, Cadance. I'll just have to tell Alexandrite and Citrine that I'm trying out a new look," he joked.

"Sir, Ma'am," Defender saluted, straightening up. "We've taken the culprit to the lock up."

"Thank you, Defender," Shining replied. "I'll be there in a little bit to get his statement. Not that anything he says will help him at this point."

"Why would Princess Celestia send a crazy stallion anyway?" Flash asked, looking at Cadance quizzically.

"If I were a betting mare, I'd this was the stallion's first incident of violence," Cadance replied with a frown. "Or at least the first time a violent outburst would wind up on public record."

"Forged is a very smart pony," the mare spoke up. "He has a reputation for his... jerkish behavior."

"Yeah, but it was something about me being an alien that set him off," Floyd offered. He then turned to the mare. "And thanks for your help Miss…?"

"Alchemilla."

Floyd stared at her for a moment. "Right, remind me never to send you another burn victim."

"I agree, I was not looking forward to working alongside him," Alchemilla replied. "A good scientist should know to keep their personal feelings and biases out of a situation they know nothing about." She turned, bowing to Cadance. "Your Highness, Princess Celestia sent for us while you were absent, though it seems like now you have no need for us." She gestured toward the train, where several other ponies were peering out at them.

"You can return to Canterlot with my husband and me when we leave for a press conference," Cadance offered. "Until then, you can stay in the castle as well. Consider it a token of apology for wasting your time."

"Not at all." Alchemilla turned to Floyd. "With this one's permission, I'd like a chance to study him."

"You can just call me Floyd," he offered, holding his hand out towards her. "And I have no problem with you studying me. I mean, I'm studying pony culture, it's only fair that a pony gets to study me in return."

"Excellent." Alchemilla nodded. She levitated her luggage off the platform, turning to him. "Shall we?"

"Er, don't I have to file a report?" Floyd turned to Cadance, rubbing his neck.

"Given the number of witnesses, we can put off doing that," she waved off. "You just go and have your cooking lesson." She turned to Flash and grinned. "You too, Private, you're still on the clock."

"Ma'am." Flash saluted, trotting over to Floyd.

"Well then, looks like we'll be on our way," Floyd said. "Hope you don't mind sitting in on our lesson, Alchemilla. Though Citrine may pull you into it."

"That's fine." The trio began to walk, resuming their walk to Citrine's home.


End file.
